From Night to Day: A Novelization
by faggottree
Summary: A true-to-game FF7 Novelization. Extra scenes and a heavy focus on the group relations of AVALANCHE. No real plot changes except that Cait Sith will be left off the main team until the start of disc2. Cloti, but no Aeris bashing here.
1. Prologue and Urban Avalanche

Prologue

Night

At first there was darkness. Dense, unyielding darkness. There was no definition of anything; time had no meaning. Slowly, stars appeared; the way stars do. The tiny pin pricks twinkled to life, followed by still more, until the darkness looked like the night sky. From divine silver to an earthly green the stars changed. The woman, aglow with from the light of the green pinpoints, snapped out of the near-trance she had been in for the last few minutes. She looked young, but there was something mystical and old about her, with chestnut hair and neat bangs perfectly framing her face and eyes that shimmered and sparkled. The dark emerald depths of her irises had no limits, nor did they betray what was inside except gentility and kindness.

Her body was slim and petite, still fresh with youth, and as she stood up, the delicate hem of her pink dress swept across the colorless ground. Reaching down, she brushed the front of her skirt off and moved to pick up the basket of delicate flowers she had brought with her. She had only meant to stop for a quick prayer, after all, and while the Mako vent at the base of the brick wall she was facing was still lazily blowing out glowing green flecks of Mako, she knew it was time to leave. Walking slowly, she came out of the alley and onto the street corner, where people bustled about in the bliss of normality. Neon signs and the headlights from the occasional car lit up the people as they shuffled towards their various destinations. Though it happened to be the middle of the night, she and everyone on the street knew that no matter what the time, it would always be eternally dark in the slums. The city on top of them, supported in sectors by pillars, blocked all sunlight and caused endless night underneath. This was Midgar. She walked across the street and disappeared into the crowds as the stoplight changed. In the distance, a train roared by.

Chapter One

Urban Avalanche

The train sped quickly to reach its destination on time, like it did every single day since the system went up. It screeched to a halt right on schedule at eleven forty-five in the evening, trailing a billowing cloud of smoke. Two tired looking guards watched lazily as they waited for the passengers to come out of the doors. They realized something was amiss, though, when a dark haired youth leapt off the roof of the train and landed in front of them. The young man's street-rags were nondescript, and as he lunged towards the guard nearest him, the other was already deciding that this would be a difficult perpetrator to locate should he make it into the streets of the slums. The nameless youth deftly grabbed his target's arm, flipped him over his head, and immediately knocked him unconscious. The other guard barely had time to yell when a second assailant in the form of a teen-aged girl landed a powerful kick into the man's temple, sending him to the ground, also unconscious.

The man raised an arm into the haze of the train station and beckoned to the others waiting for his "all clear". A third lowered himself from the roof of the train delicately. He was portly, but the bright red bandana covering his hair also did a good job at concealing his age. The three companions shared brief congratulatory grins before a fourth person jumped from the train. The new man was big and muscular, and the other three immediately turned their attention to him. He glared at them appraisingly before signaling for them to go ahead. "See ya at the reactor, Barret," the girl chirped confidently, giving him a casual salute as she and the other two made for the alleyway at the end of the platform. Barret grunted at them, and wiped the sweat off his dark brow. Why he always got a little sweaty before missions was beyond him. He certainly didn't feel nervous; in fact, he felt kind of angry. The newest recruit had yet to join him on the ground and was, as usual, holding up the entire operation.

Finally, he spotted the newbie pulling himself nonchalantly out of the hatch on the roof of the train. Stepping under one of the station lamps, Barret beckoned the other, final, man. "Hurry up," he called gruffly, waving his single gloved hand at the younger man on the train. The street light made the scars on his face shine dully, and glinted off the metal barrel that made up the Gatling gun in which his other arm abruptly ended. The man on the train leapt off, and landed gracefully on the concrete platform, his wild blond hair shifting only slightly with the effort. Barret stubbornly repressed a shudder as the younger man walked towards him through the haze, his weird, unnatural eyes glowing in the dim light.

Suddenly, footsteps and loud voices cut off their meeting and without a single word, both rebels raced off the platform and into the darkness. As they broke out of the alleyway, a solitary ShinRa officer, alerted by their loud footfalls, glanced in their direction. The officer didn't have moment to react as the blond man unsheathed a monstrous sword and, quick as a flash, left a huge gash in the officer's torso. Silenced by his wound, the ShinRa guard fell to the ground and lay still.

Barret had pounded away down another alley, leaving the young swordsman to play catch up. As he leapt lightly over a pile of garbage taking up most of the alley, he broke out into an industrial service road, blocked at one end by an iron gate. Barret was nowhere to be seen but the other three were struggling to break the security code on the gate, knowing it would lead them into the core of the reactor. As he jogged up to them, the thinner man of the three looked up at him. "They said you SOLDIER dudes are almost superhuman, it's a good thing we've got you working for us this mission. Avalanche is really hurting for help," he smiled jauntily

The girl looked up from her work, "I have a hard time believing someone in SOLDIER would help us out, Biggs. They're the enemy and I'm still not sure I trust him. What could he possibly gain by working with Avalanche?"

The man glanced at her and explained further, "Chill out, Jessie, he _used _to be in SOLDIER. Barret's got him paid and pegged as a mercenary." He turned back up to the unfamiliar man. "Barret never mentioned your name, though," he started, holding out his hand to shake the ex-SOLDIER'S.

The blond looked at him and scowled, keeping his own hands stubbornly at his side, "Cloud."

He started to reply, happily succeeding in his attempt at friendliness, "That's sort of a weird name. I'm-"

"I don't care what your names are," Cloud snapped, his glowing ice-blue eyes cold. "Once we finish this, I'm outta here."

Suddenly, Barret appeared from around the corner, looking irate. "The hell you all doin'? I thought I told you never to move in a group!"

Walking up to them, he lowered his gravelly voice. "Reactor One's got light security tonight because of the maintenance on Three," he said with a serious grimace, "break up and we'll meet at the first code clearance door."

Jessie, suddenly, made a noise of triumph, signaling that she had broken the code on the gate. She, Biggs, and the other man nodded to Barret and raced ahead of them. "I don't care what Tifa says," the huge, older man snarled to Cloud as he turned to follow. "I don't trust no ex-SOLDIERS."

He scowled threateningly at Cloud one last time before tailing his companions down the alley as the towering ShinRa Headquarters dominated the rest of the skyline. Cloud snorted defiantly, and raced after them trying to come up with a biting retort. The gunman was bulky in build and it impeded his speed, making it easy for the ex-SOLDIER to keep up. They caught up with their companions in the ground level of the reactor; it's smoke tower, bearing a giant number one, spewing Mako steam into the starless night. Cloud stayed aloof from his employer and the rest of his gang as he approached, treating them like a cold mercenary should. The gunman glared at him, and crossed his arms, "Yo! This your first time in a reactor?"

Cloud put his gloved hands on his hips, "No. After all, I did work for the ShinRa."

The larger man looked like he wanted to say something rude, or perhaps even take a swing an his insolent and arrogant counterpart, "Then you'd know that the ShinRa are using these reactors to suck up the life-blood of the planet and turn it into power."

"I'm not here for a lecture," Cloud bit back, looking arrogant, "let's just get on with it."

Barret grunted in aggravation and turned to the round-faced man standing behind him, "Wedge! Stand guard here and support us on the way out." Giving one last, authoritative glare at Cloud, he followed Biggs and Jessie through an adjacent corridor as Wedge unholstered a gun and stood guard near the corner of the room. Quickly, they strode down the empty hallway weapons drawn and half-expecting security to charge them in droves at any second. After a tense wrong turn under a furiously blushing Jessie's command, the party arrived at another heavy door guarded by an unassuming pin pad. Biggs checked a small electronic device in his pocket before setting to work on the security system. "We've got all the security codes for the system," he said in a would-be casual tone to Barret, "but I don't even want to think about the people that are gonna be held responsible for this shit." After a moment or two, the door chimed pleasantly and slid open, allowing them deeper into the reactor and closer to their target, the core. Further down the passage a second door greeted them, but Jessie, armed with the secret ShinRa clearance code, made quick work of it.

The door opened to an oversized lift. Barret, Cloud, and Jessie climbed in while Biggs stayed behind to keep their escape path open. "Right now we're on level with the liquid Mako tanks," Jessie said, focusing most of her attention on a tiny notepad she held in her gloved hand. "The main core consol should be a few levels above us." The elevator rumbled and began to climb. Barret leaned up against the side, and gave Cloud an appraising look. The punk was tough, at the very least, he admitted to himself. But, damn, they don't come much cockier. "Y'know, little by little the reactors'll drain out all the Mako and that'll be that," he said pointedly, hoping to gain some kind of reaction out of Cloud, snarky or otherwise.

"I don't care," Cloud snorted, running a hand through his wild hair.

Barret grimaced, "Their killin' the planet."

He glared at Barret with intense blue eyes that seemed to glow brighter in his annoyance. "I said I didn't care. The only thing I give a crap about is getting this done before security figures out what's going on."

Before an argument could break out, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Jessie, stowing her notepad back into her vest pocket, checked to make sure they were clear, and then led the two men out into the adjoining hallway. At Jessie's instructions they made their way through twisting blank corridors until they finally came onto a set of iron double doors. With a final security code, Jessie opened the way for them and they stood facing a rickety catwalk and a series of ladders overlooking the small emerald sea of liquid Mako several stories below them. Carefully, they picked their way down the ladders and onto several small, swaying catwalks before they finally emerged onto the mainframe of the core: a t-intersection of catwalk with short guard railings.

At Barret's orders, Jessie departed to further secure their escape route once the job was done. With Barret leading, he and Cloud carefully made their way across the white tiled walkway overlooking an endless pool of Mako. The platform on the farthest wall of the core was small and seemed to groan and protest under their weight. Barret approached the control consol and looked searchingly at the wiring behind the plastic frame. "Cheap-ass ShinRa. This plastic piece a'crap don't stand a chance." He stepped back, handing a small circular disk with several loose wires poking out between strips of duct tape to Cloud. "You set the bomb."

"What? Why me?" Cloud asked, surprise and suspicion lacing his voice.

"Jus' do it," Barret barked. "I'm gonna watch you, cause you'd stab me in the back if I did it." He crossed his arms with satisfaction and smirked smugly.

Cloud frowned but composed himself and shrugged uncaringly. "Whatever you say." He accepted the small parcel and positioned himself in front of the console.

_Open your eyes!_

Cloud gripped his head in pain and sank to his knees. A voice? In his head? It was so horribly familiar, but he couldn't fit it with a name. He came to his senses a split second later, with Barret staring at him curiously and unarguably worried. "What's wrong?" Cloud shook his head, and shakily got to his feet, leaning on the guardrail for momentary support.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Barret repeated, looking worried, "Hurry it up!"

"Yeah, sorry," he said tersely and approached the console again. The wiring was relatively idiot-proof and he was able to activate the bomb without much guessing.  
"Done," he said, examining his handiwork. His companion was about to say something when an alarm suddenly flared up.

"Shit! That was quick," Barret yelled, loading his gun-arm, "Jessie said it would take longer than that for the tamper alarm to go off."

"So what's that mean for us?" Cloud shouted back, following Barret's lead and unsheathing his huge sword.

"Means we got company!"

A huge rumbling erupted from the far corridor, bursting through the doorway in the form of a huge robotic scorpion. It charged them with no preamble and began firing laser cannons at them indiscriminately. It glared at the renegades for a moment before charging. Cloud agilely leapt out of the way while Barret clumsily rolled. Gritting his teeth, Cloud shot forward and attacked, slashing at any exposed joint he could find. As Barret unloaded bullets in the creature's underbelly, Cloud broke off his charge, sensing an imminent counter attack. Another idea was forming in his head, though, and he put some more distance between himself and the menace. As he concentrated, the sword burst into a glowing yellow light that quickly transformed into racing electrical currents that ran up and down the blade. Again, he charged forward, slicing the mechanical monster across its metal chest, shouting in triumph.

The monster seemed to squeal in pain as wires dangled out of their circuit boxes and smoke was pouring out of the bent metal wound. Barret shot a huge burst of fire and rewarded as chunks of shrapnel were sent flying and he was lucky enough to have melted several critical components of the beast's mechanic system. The robot began to whine loudly as more and more of its joints fried. Cloud attacked one last time, and it completely gave way, it collapsed and twitched spastically.

Barret, in a compulsive moment, happened to glance at the bomb ticking away on the console when he suddenly realized that the timer was _far_ shorter than it should have been. His stomach immediately dropped and he turned, giving Cloud a shove forward as he broke into a run. "I thought you set it for ten minutes!" Barret exclaimed, his dark eyes wide.

"I did!" Cloud shouted back, panic lacing his harsh voice. "Screw it; let's just get out of here, fast!"

The other man nodded and began to run as best he could across the narrow little catwalk. They had to climb over the busted guard scorpion because it took up most of the walkway, slowing them up considerably. By the time Cloud reached the ladder leading upwards to their escape route, Barret was already through the upper doorway. As he made his way up, scrambling up the rungs, he heard a female voice cry out. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Jessie being attacked by the first in what was sure to become a wave of guards.

Without thinking, Cloud leapt sideways off the ladder, while at the same time drawing his sword. He landed with a loud 'whump' on top of the elite security officer and in one neat movement, thrust the wide blade through the other man. Helping the frightened young woman, he noticed that her foot was caught in the support they were standing on. Yanking her foot out, they both took off down the hall. "Thanks!" She managed to shout to him. They reached the bridge across a great abyss and yet another low rumbling was heard. Cloud watched as Barret, Biggs, and Wedge ran out on the left side.

Running at full force, Cloud and Jesse turned the corner. Jessie turned too hard and with an ungainly wobble, slipped and fell, skidding halfway over the side of the unstable bridge. She panicked and began clawing at the floor to make it back up. The ex-SOILDER roughly grabbed her wrist and wrapped an unnaturally strong arm around her waist as he sprinted away. The temperature inside was rising rapidly, and heat waves were making everything look like liquid. As soon as he made it to the doorway, the reactor exploded, sending a wall of flames outward.

The explosion rocked the entire city and threw Barret and his companions to the ground. The smell of Mako and melting metal was immediately present, and in only a few moments time, sirens could be heard. Picking themselves up, Cloud followed Barret and the others into a small hallway that was covered in graffiti. The followed the corridor for several long minutes, until they turned a corner that ended in a doorway blocked off with debris. Biggs turned to his companions with a cocky smile. "That should keep the planet going, at least a little while."

Wedge smiled grimly. "Yeah." He finally holstered his pistol and wiped sweat and grime of his face with the back of his hand. Barret stared at them for a moment, and then directed Jessie to clear an opening. She began to hook up another bomb, albeit much smaller, to the wall. She set it and backed up, ordering everyone against the far wall. They obeyed, shielding their eyes and covering their faces. The wall exploded into shrapnel and metal bits and the five of them leapt through the flames to escape. They made it through unscathed, save for the fact that the seat of the Wedge's pants had been badly singed. Biggs made a rude comment, causing Barret and Jessie to snicker at his misfortune.

Not bothering to speed up the death of the flames, Barret gathered his three buddies and the lone mercenary for their final instructions. "Let's get the fuck out of here. Rendezvous at Sector 8 station! Split up and get on the train". Barret broke into a jog without another word and made towards a rickety staircase.

"Hey!" Cloud started, lurching forward to chase after him.

"If it's 'bout the money, just wait till we get back," he barked over his shoulder, "You get paid when the work is done." With that, Barret climbed the stairway and was gone. Wedge took off in the opposite direction, with the other two trailing him. Cloud sighed, aggravated at Barret. He had only known him for a few days or so, but he was such a pig-headed, brash, obstinate jerk that Cloud found himself gritting his teeth every time Barret opened his fat mouth. He absently followed the direction in which the other three had gone at a relaxed walk, not at all in a hurry to be back with AVALANCHE.

Following the alley, he came out in a plaza littered with debris and chunks of building shaken loose from the massive explosion that had just happened. Cloud watched detachedly as people ran by in terror, confused and afraid of a second attack. He acted aloof and as unsuspicious as possible, his hands jammed in his pants pockets and his sword sheathed. Rounding the corner into the plaza, he made his way towards a fountain that had mostly escaped damage. In an attempt to sidle into an alley beyond the fountain, he walked purposefully around the circular ledge but something pink caught his eye, stopping him in his tracks.

It was a woman, sprawled face down on the ground, a basket of flowers next to her, spilling its colorful contents on the drab concrete. Overcome with sudden guilt, he couldn't stop himself from kneeling down next to her. He shook her gently, and she groaned, coming back to consciousness. Cloud stood back a little as she sat up slowly, blinking with wide, emerald eyes. "Oh god," she murmured, holding a hand to her slightly bruised forehead, "What happened?"

Cloud avoided her glittering eyes, gesturing towards the remains of the reactor. "There was some kind of explosion or something. You alright?"

She stood up, shakily, but smiled weakly. "Yes, I'm okay. I remember hearing a crash and falling down, I must've banged my head."

He felt inexplicably drawn to her and compelled to help her to her feet. "I'm not sure what happened." he lied, gathering up her flowers and placing them back in her basket. He couldn't stop himself from admiring her gentle face, though, as the slightest bit of redness threatened to creep into his cheeks.

"Do you like them? There only a gil." she offered, as she took the basket of flowers from his hands noticing the way he looked at them.

"Where do you get them? I've never seen flowers in Midgar before," he asked, satisfied that this captivating stranger seemed to be unharmed.

She ran a slim hand through her bangs, smiling slightly. "I grow them myself."

Cloud thought for a moment and dug up a coin from his pocket and handed it to her. She smiled widely and handed him a small delicate orange flower. He thanked her as she made off down the street. Taking one last look at the young woman, he jogged down to the other end of the avenue.

He was nearly at the train station and coming out of an alley, when two ShinRa guards ran up behind him. "Hey! You there!"

Wanting to avoid any incriminating inquiries, Cloud dashed ahead of them and veered right- directly into two more guards who had their rifles aimed at his chest. The situation had suddenly gone from annoying to bad. With nearly cat-like reflexes, he turned around and made a break for an adjacent alleyway. Two more guards stepped in front of him as the last four closed him into the side of a bridge overlooking train tracks. All six guards trained their rifles at his head. One of them spoke through his blue helmet. "That's as far as you go."

Knowing that he was only endangering his anonymity by fighting, he backed into the guard rail. As a train horn blared in the distance, an idea came to him. He held out his hand, concentrating on the orb attached to his sword, and a twisted tree of lightning crashed into the ground before the soldiers. Startled they watched, speechless, as the strange man turned and flung himself over the railing just as a train roared out of the tunnel. He landed smoothly on the roof and ducked as he and the train dropped underground.

***

Barret, Wedge, Jessie, and Biggs all sulked in the cargo area of the train. Wondering what had happened to Cloud. "I wonder if he was killed," Biggs sighed sadly.

"Shit," Barret muttered with a roll of his eyes, "ain't nothin' gonna kill that bastard easy."

Jessie looked sadly at the train wall, having never had the chance to thank Cloud for saving her twice in the reactor. She bit her lip, why was she always so helpless? She tried so hard to self-sufficient but always ended up having to be rescued. She nearly smiled though, as a scene played out in her mind's eye in which she was the one rescuing him. Surely he hadn't been killed like Biggs thought, Cloud used to be in SOLDIER, after all. Weren't they supposed to be nearly invincible?

"I wonder if we could get him to fight with us till the end…" Jessie mumbled.

"Dude, that would be so cool!" Biggs gushed as Wedge rolled his eyes.

Barret slapped a nearby crate in anger. "Y'all are idiots if you think that asshole'd fight for someone or somethin' else." As difficult as he could be, at least Barret's moods were easy to understand.

A loud pounding startled them all out of their wits, as the car door suddenly slid open with a blast of dank wind. A figure flipped in from the roof, landing directly in front of Barret.

"Cloud!"

"Sorry I'm late," he said smoothly, a cocky note in his voice.

"You damn right, you're late!" Barret burst out, "Come waltzin' in here makin' a big scene!"

"Whoa, sorry," Cloud answered cockily, shrugging his shoulders.

"Shit! Havin' everyone worried 'bout you like that; you don' give a damn 'bout no one but yourself!"

The younger man smirked, the cocky note growing a little more arrogant, "Oho! You were worried about me?"

Barret clenched his fist, and then pointedly waved his gun-arm at the younger man. "It's comin' outta your money, hot stuff." There was a tense silence, in which Barret tried to save face and not feel threatened by Cloud's defiant attitude. "The train's slowing down; let's get out of here and get home!"

They watched as Barret left the car and headed out. Wedge heartily clapped Cloud on the back. "That was awesome."

Biggs jogged up next to him and pumped a fist in the air, "Shit yeah! Whoo, Barret is so pissed!" Wedge and his younger counterpart left, leaving Jessie and Cloud behind.

"Your face is pitch black!" She untied her headband and wiped Cloud's cheeks with it, taking off some of the dirt and soot that had caked onto his handsome face. "That's better," she smiled nervously, "Thanks for helping me back there at the reactor. I guess I can be a little clumsy." Blushing and grinning at him with girlish admiration, she followed Biggs and Wedge out. Cloud took a moment to make sure he still had everything he had originally left with and followed Avalanche out.

He and the others emerged in an empty guest car, save for a man in a business suit. Barret flopped down next to him and the smaller, meeker man got up and nervously began to exit. Jessie beckoned from in front of a monitor mounted into the train wall towards the end of the compartment. "You want to look at this with me?" Cloud agreed, not wanting to be alone with Wedge and Biggs, who both seemed a bit too peppy for his tastes, and walked up to her and the glowing monitor. "It's a map of the Midgar Rail System. Let's look at it together; I'll explain it to you." She seemed to beam with happiness at the ex-SOLDIER's choice to join her. "I like this kinda stuff, high-tech stuff. I'm kind of a nerd."

The two rebels looked at the monitor as a green ShinRa logo appeared. "Okay it's about to start," Jessie said in anticipation. A wire frame model of Midgar was depicted on the aging screen. "This is the route the train is on," she said, pointing to a line of dots winding around the main pillar. "We should be coming around the center area, right now. At each checkpoint, an ID sensor device is set up. It can check the identities and background on each and every passenger on the train by linking it up to the central databank at ShinRa Headquarters." She lowered her voice again, "Anyone can tell we look suspicious, so we're using fake ID's."

Suddenly, a red light started flashing. "See? There it goes…" Jessie muttered, "that light means that we're in the ID Security Check area. At least that's the last one before we get back to Sector Seven."

Cloud nodded in thanks for her explanation of the city, but her only response was her furious blushing. Leaving to escape the ensuing awkward silence, the hired mercenary walked back over to Barret who was engrossed with scowling at the passing landscape. "Look," he directed seriously, gesturing with his head at the blackened cityscape. "You can see the surface now. Because of the way Midgar's built, the slums are always night. If that plate weren't there, we could see the sky."

Cloud nodded absently, leaning forward to see the towering plate. "The whole set up seems screwed. How can they get away with building a city on top of people?"

Barret looked up at him and smiled smugly. "Never expected to hear that outta someone like you." Cloud glared indignantly at him, but the other continued with a wave of his good hand. "The upper world- a city of light and wealth. It is screwed up, man. It's 'cause of that fucking 'pizza' that people underneath are sufferin'! The city below is full of polluted air and crime. On toppa that, the reactors keep drainin' up all the Mako to power the damn thing."

The mercenary nodded again, reluctantly understanding. "I wonder why everyone doesn't just move to the plate."

Barret shook his head, his frustration ebbing. "People in the slums can't afford it. All the ShinRa employees live on the plate and all the rest of us make a living doing shit to support them. The ShinRa keeps making us poorer and poorer while they get richer and richer. 'Sides people love their land, no matter how bad the ShinRa tries to fuck it all up."

"Yeah, I know," Cloud agreed solemnly, "No one lives in the slums because they want to." He paused, staring hypnotically out the window.

Barret sighed, following the young man's gaze. "It's like this train. It can't run anywhere except where the rails take it.


	2. The Starlit Promise

Chapter Two

The Starlit Promise

The train screeched to a stop and the small rebel band exited quickly. Barret rallied his group at the rear of the station for a hurried meeting. Within a few seconds, the original group and the added mercenary had gathered around him. "This mission was a success," he said with a businesslike air, "but don't get lazy now. There's still guards all over an' we already look suspicious. Meet back at the hideout. Move out!"

They left, once again splitting up in different directions. Annoyed at the constant "split up and move out!" Cloud ran along the twisting alleyways; the dank air invading his senses. As he passed the gargantuan support pillar that held up a part of the upper plate, he slowed to a trot and looked all the way up. As much as he hated the industrialized and dirty city, he had to admit that the structure really was a marvel. The support was one of the largest singular structures he'd ever seen, stretching from the filthy, unpaved ground to the steel sky. He wondered what committee decided that this would be a good way to build the whole city; instead of relocating the poor, they just pop a few concrete stilts in the ground and throw the city on top. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that while he didn't support Avalanche, he couldn't deny how screwed up the ShinRa was. Wondering where the intruding thought had come from, he made his way to the bar where the mission had originally began.

Coming around a bend in the road, he saw the little ramshackle building; the only in the area with warm lamp light spilling into the thoroughfare. It was the Seventh Heaven, a bar run by his childhood friend, Tifa Lockheart. He watched as Barret sauntered out of an adjacent alleyway, climb the dilapidated wooden stairs and disappeared inside. Not a moment later he reappeared herding all of the patrons out. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie emerged from the far end of the street and followed Barret's gesture for them to enter. Cloud entered the bar wordlessly, even as Barret started to break in a smug smirk.

As the hired mercenary opened the door, a little girl with straight brown hair jumped up from her seat and raced towards him. The word 'papa' had scarcely left her mouth before she froze in her tracks, realizing she had made a mistake. She ran and hid in one of the booths, dejected and embarrassed. The woman behind the bar, Tifa, put down the pilsner she'd been cleaning and smiled fondly to the little girl. "Marlene, aren't you going to say hello to Cloud?"

Marlene kept her mouth firmly shut and her red face hidden. Tifa smiled in a half-annoyed sort of way and walked over to where the ex-SOLDIER stood in the doorway, looking him up and down as though she were trying to see if he was hiding any serious injuries. "Welcome back, Cloud," she offered with a warm smile, her dark eyes kind. "The reports are just starting to show up on the news, so I guess it was mission accomplished. Are you okay? You didn't fight with Barret too much I hope." She turned the volume down on the television set that was mounted over the bar, wanting to give him her undivided attention.

Cloud nodded sheepishly, a small roguish, smirk creeping across his face, "Only a little bit."

Tifa moved back towards the bar, breaking into a grin herself, "I expected as much. You both don't set much store by civility. Remember when you were little? You were in fight almost weekly." Her eyes met his for a moment, her smile still warm and humored.

He stepped forward and pulled the flower he had bought earlier and handed it to her with a theatrical flourish, his small smirk widening into a lopsided grin. She started, staring at the plant wide-eyed. Her face flushed a deep red and she took it from him, returning his wide smile. Trying to save face, she busied herself by rummaging around her cabinets for a suitable vase. "I don't think I've ever seen flowers under the plate before. Where on earth did you find it?"

He followed her to the bar, where she set the little flower in an old bottle-once it had been cleaned and filled with water from the tap. She placed it on the bar top and stood back to admire the center of radical color in her otherwise drab bar. "Thanks, Cloud."

"No big," he shrugged, not wanting to seem too eager. He watched her carefully as she leaned over to smell it.

"It smells wonderful." She turned and frowned thoughtfully at the rest of her shabby bar. "Maybe I should fill the store with flowers." As she returned to finish the night's cleaning Cloud sat down on a bar stool in front of her. He was about to say something, when Barret nearly brought the little shop down as he crashed inside.

Marlene looked up from where she had taken to hiding and nearly jumped over the table at the sight of him. "Papa, welcome home!" she shouted shrilly as she bolted towards his huge frame. Barret's face softened considerably and lifted her up onto his broad shoulders; she giggled wildly. "Baby!" he laughed, keeping a huge dark hand on her knee, "You been good today?"

Tifa stopped scrubbing the ice tongs she was holding and put both her hands on the counter, "How are you, Barret?"

"Great. Everything went fine. We're just gonna have a quick meetin' and then decide on our next move." He emphasized his satisfied mood by grinning widely, taking years off his unshaven and scarred face. He walked to a dusty pinball machine in the corner and brought his hand crashing down on it. It whirred noisily and the platform it was resting on began to descend. "Get in here, fools!" he shouted to Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie who were halfway through a plate of snacks at the far table. "We're havin' a post-mission meetin'."

Biggs groaned loudly and dropped the tidbit he had been about to pop in his mouth while his companions snickered. The three of them stood and followed Barret to the hidden elevator and were soon out of sight. Cloud and Tifa were left alone, as the rebel faction discussed today's mission.

"C'mon," Tifa said, sighing slightly, "I'll make you a drink."

"Give me something hard." He grinned at her, his arrogance melting into confidence and what he was sure was a winning smirk.

"You better be careful or I'll make you something really tough." She took a moment, and produced a light-colored drink and set it down in front of him. He took a small sip and decided he liked it. "I'm glad you made it back okay," she said softly, not meeting his eyes and casually taking note of her liquor inventory, "I was kinda worried."

He set the drink down, "What's with you all of a sudden?" he asked with a note of annoyance. "That wasn't even a tough job."

Tifa wiped down the bar, not looking at him. "No, I guess not. You were in SOLDIER, after all," she said thinly, with barely disguised anxiety underneath. They were both silent for a few tense moments before she reminded him to collect his mercenary fee from Barret.

His eyes narrowed as he glared morosely at the spotless countertop, "Don't worry. Once I get that money, I'm outta here." He stood up and stretched indulgently for a second before making his way toward the pinball machine.

"Cloud, are you sure you're feeling all right?"

He consciously tried not to roll his eyes, but even so, he couldn't help but feel guilty for causing her to worry, even if he did think it was unbased. "Yeah, why?"

"Sorry, you just look a little tired I guess. You'd better go down below."

He smacked the rusty game, like Barret had, and sure enough, the elevator began to descend. The tiny platform descended into a room littered with junk food wrappers, cushions, and computed print-outs of facts and figures. Two huge monitors and several high-end-looking computers sat in the far corner; Jessie was busy studying a newscast on one of the screens. Opposite that, a huge punching bag was being pummeled by Barret's single hand as Marlene sat nearby, tracing cracks in the wall with her finger. Biggs and Wedge were arguing over a sports event that had occurred over the weekend at an unsteady table in the middle of the room.

As he passed Jessie, she pointed excitedly at the screen, "Hey, did ya' see the news? The computer plans I developed for that bomb were really spot-on."

Tifa's undue concern had diluted his good mood and he made a beeline for Barret; ignoring Jessie's comment entirely. He didn't miss the brief look of hurt on her young face, though, even as he passed with his coldly glowing eyes fixed on the back of Barret's head. Barret must have expected Cloud's intended confrontation, though, because he turned before the other had a chance to ask his question. "Hey, there's somethin' I wanna ask ya. Was there anyone from SOLDIER in the reactor today?"

Cloud shook his head with a small frown. "No."

"You sound pretty sure," Barret eyed him suspiciously.

"If there _was_ anyone from SOLDIER," Cloud started, defensive annoyance plainly showing on his face, "_you_ wouldn't be standing here now."

Barret's seemed to swell in front of him as he sucked in a breath in surprise and anger. "Don't go thinkin' you so bad jus' cuz you was in SOLDIER," he sniped menacingly, standing to his full height and dwarfing Cloud's shorter frame. Silence spread over the room; even the blabbering news report on the television seemed hushed. "Yeah, you're strong," he said, crossing his massive arms and looking down at Cloud with a condescending expression. "Prolly all them guys in SOLDIER are. But don't you forget," he warned, his voice beginning to rise, "that your skinny ass's working for Avalanche and me now! Don't you be getting' some crazy-ass ideas 'bout hanging on to ShinRa."

Fury was plainly showing on Cloud's scowl and furrowed brows. "Staying with ShinRa?" he nearly shouted, "You asked me a question and I answered it!" The other three and Marlene were staring at him as Barret glared. He resisted the maddening urge to say _fuck you all_ for the sole fact that even he couldn't bring himself to spit it out in front of a three year old little girl. "I'm going upstairs. I want to talk about my money."

He stormed over to the elevator as Barret struggled to find a biting comeback. He didn't say a word to the other three as they watched him punch the arcade machine. He vaguely heard Barret swear under his breath as the dusty gears whirred to life, bringing him back to the main floor of the bar. He saw Tifa look up from the corner of his eye as the platform struggled to lock into place. Still seething, he turned and started for the door without acknowledging her.

She seemed to sense that he was about to leave and hurriedly came around the corner of the bar. "Wait, Cloud!" she called, striding over to him.

"Let him leave, Tifa!" The elevator had descended and returned again, with Barret in tow. He looked nearly as angry as Cloud and strode off the platform to where they stood, just before the swinging doors. "It looks like he still misses the ShinRa."

Cloud's face was livid, "Shut the hell up! I don't want anything to do with ShinRa or SOLDIER! But you're out of your goddamned mind if you think I care about Avalanche or your fanatic eco crusade!"

Barret was about to snarl something scathing back when the tiny television perched in the corner of the bar cut out. The three of them looked over in time to see the picture come back. It was President ShinRa making some kind of press conference. Many reporters were shouting questions and flashes from cameras were going off like fireworks. The President's committee of aides was behind him, and heavily armed guards were positioned right next to ShinRa himself.

"Today the Number One Reactor was bombed," he was saying as the reporters all held microphones or recorders up to his podium. "The terrorist organization known as Avalanche has claimed responsibility for the attack. It is highly likely that Avalanche will continue its endeavors to commit heinous acts of terrorism. Rest assured that the ShinRa's new security measures will add a whole new level of safety and security to you, the citizens of Midgar. In the mean time, be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior or persons. Avalanche is believed to be a group of people with membership somewhere between three and fifteen persons. Your local police station will have composite sketches of suspected Avalanche members should you wish to see them. As I have said already, ShinRa's new security measures will be in place until further notice. I have immediately mobilized SOLDIER to protect our citizenry against this senseless violence. Thank you and good night."

The silence was broken as Tifa scoffed in disgust and the outraged look from Barret seemed to mirror her sentiments. Cloud would have felt more strongly about the ShinRa's complete propaganda if he wasn't still angry. Barret turned, looking as though he was going to say something but the look that Tifa shot him managed to shut him up. He turned and disappeared through a door behind the bar that must have lead up into the upper level of the building.

She didn't say anything, but came up beside Cloud and lightly touched his upper arm. She was so afraid of him just leaving; leaving and never coming back. It would be so easy for him to do it, simply step out onto the dark street and disappear forever in this urban hellhole or beyond. Tifa knew that they both stood on the brink of a kind of an abyss; if he left now, there would be no more chances; he would not reach out for her help.

Bottom of Form

He remained rigid and tense although he was consciously trying to not be mad at her. Tifa's presence alone was softening his anger and desire to escape. He avoided her eyes, knowing that if he met them, his resolve would crumble. He didn't understand it- why she was so damn worried about him, why she was so damn sensitive to his temperament and health, but it was comforting. He could feel her looking at him with pleading eyes. She came around front of him and squeezed his arm. "Listen, Cloud, I know Barret can be overbearing, but I'm asking you, please join us."

He shook his head firmly, still avoiding her mahogany eyes, "Sorry, Tifa."

Tifa straightened up slightly, admittedly hurt that her offer had been so bluntly turned down. "The Planet's dying. It's only a matter of time; slowly but surely it's dying. Someone has to do something."

Cloud finally looked up at her, "So let Barret and his buddies do something," he said defiantly, anger still lacing his voice, "It's got nothin' to do with me." He turned resolutely and reached for the doorknob.

"That's it then?" Tifa threw back, her own voice rising in hurt and anger, "You're just going to leave? You're just going to walk right out and ignore your childhood friend?"

Cloud turned toward her again, stung by her words. He was about snap back about how that was irrelevant, that their past didn't have anything to do with the present, but the look on her face silenced him. She really had been nothing but good to him, and even he felt bad about repaying her with angry words. "Look, I'm sorry," he apologized, holding his hands out for emphasis.

"Did you forget our promise, too?" she demanded, looking rather angry.

"Promise?"

She rolled her eyes in annoyed incredulousness as her face grew flushed with anger or embarrassment. "You did forget." The anger was gone from her visage, but her bitter tone remained. "You really don't remember? It was seven years ago."

A rush of memories came flooding his mind. Why couldn't he recall it a moment ago? He remembered the starlit sky that night, unobscured by city lights and traffic noise.

"Do you remember the well?"

"Yeah," he muttered, trying to bring the rest of the environment into focus, the clear starry sky and the cold wind that blew off the mountains. "I thought you'd never come, and I was getting a little cold." The memory was so vivid now, when a second ago he couldn't even recall it. He remembered sitting on the old well in the middle of the town square. He remembered waiting for Tifa, and the brisk autumn air. He was only fourteen then, before his involvement with the ShinRa and now Avalanche. He went over every detail of that night he could pull up. How it had taken her a while to reach him, how he was beginning to shiver, and how there had been a horrid nervous gnawing in his stomach. "Sorry I'm late." she had said to him, "You wanted to talk to me about something?" He remembered the long and awkward pause between them. He also recalled searching for the perfect words to tell her of his plan.

"In the spring," he had begun, "I'm leaving for Midgar."

She had nodded somewhat sadly and paused again before she responded. "All the boys are leaving town."

"But I'm different from all of them," he had raised his voice, desperate for her to believe him. "I'm not just going to find a job." Then he remembered blurting out his idea to her; the only one he could trust. "I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth." Now even the mention of that name was enough to bring Cloud's blood to a boil; his seeing his naïve admiration for Sephiroth made him a little sick. Suppressing his anger, he continued searching through his memories.

"Sephiroth. The Great Sephiroth." Tifa had murmured in quiet awe. He remembered standing up and climbing to the top of the well and gazing up at the star-filled sky. Tifa continued with her previous thought. "Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"

He recalled avoiding a direct answer, his own mind had been riddled with self-doubt, and he didn't want to reinforce it by lingering on the obstacles that lay in front of him. "I probably won't be able to come back for a while." He had heard Tifa moving and thought for a second that she might leave.

"Will you be in the newspapers if you do well?"

He had nodded, mostly to reassure himself. "I'll try."

She had looked up at him with shy amber eyes, "Hey, why don't we make a promise? If you get really famous and I'm ever in trouble," she paused for a moment, her cheeks flushing in the dim light. "You'll come save me, all right?"

He recalled his utter disbelief. "What?"

"Come on, promise me!" she had pressed, growing still redder.

Cloud nodded, taken aback by her sudden boldness. "All right. I promise."

That was it. He remembered with a frown how stupid and naïve he had been then and what a loser he was now. He didn't understand why she wanted to rely on him so much. It made his stomach twist. "I'm not a hero and I'm not famous. I can't keep the promise."

"But you got your childhood dream didn't you?" she asked, a soothing tone lacing her voice as she smiled weakly. "You joined SOLDIER. C'mon, you've got to keep your promises."

A loud _clomp_ behind Tifa caused them both to jump and stare as Barret came stomping out of the back door holding a small sachet. "Wait a sec, Mr. big-time-SOLDIER. I keep my promises." He tossed a small bag to Cloud; the jingling of its contents revealed that it was money. "Fifteen hundred Gil."

Cloud caught the small bag and frowned. "This is my pay? Don't make me laugh."

Tifa looked at him in shock. "What? Then you'll-"

He tried to act as cocky as he could as he looked smugly to Barret. "You got the next mission lined up? I'll do it for three-thousand."

Barret looked affronted and outraged, his dark eyes widening in offense. "Three thousand!?"

Tifa put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him into a huddle as he before he had a chance to explode at the younger man. "It's ok. It's ok," she whispered, trying to mollify him, "We're really hurting for help, right?"

"That's money for Marlene's schoolin!" he hissed back. He thought with a severe grimace for a moment before he turned back to Cloud. "Yer hired for two thousand!"

Cloud nodded as Tifa came to his side and grinned brightly. "Thanks, Cloud."

***

The Seventh Heaven was only equipped with a small amount of rooms, leaving Cloud to sleep in a hammock down in the secret room under the arcade machine. It wouldn't have been so bad except that was also where Jessie did all of her technical work; she was up late into the night clicking away at the computer putting the finishing touches on her next bomb. The keyboard strokes were incessant and the light from the monitor was annoying even as he faced the wall. He fell asleep late and lightly, every time he shifted the hammock would creak in protest and if he moved to quickly it would bounce and sway long after he was done repositioning himself. He could hear Barret snoring from the floor above and wondered, not for the first time, how anyone could stand sleeping in the same building as him.

Bottom of Form

The next morning, Cloud awoke to Tifa lightly tapping his shoulder. "It's almost time. How'd you sleep?"

He mumbled unintelligibly, and stretched. "I think I'd sleep a lot better in your room," he said with a flirtatious smirk.

She laughed nervously as a crimson blush crept into her cheeks, looking away. She stood up straight, smiling grimly. "I'm going with you both this time." As Cloud blinked the sleep out of his eyes, he noticed that Tifa was dressed for the occasion. She wore a white cropped t-shirt, a short skirt, and metal plated boots and gloves. She was gorgeous, even in such utilitarian clothing and it was an embarrassing moment before he was able to tear his eyes off her and get ready himself. He knew she had taken up martial arts after he had left home, but he had yet to see her in action; he absently wondered how much of an asset she would be to the mission.

After he was finished lacing up his heavy boots, he came to the main bar floor where Barret, Biggs, Jessie, Wedge, and Tifa were all discussion train schedules and security. Barret seemed wide awake, despite the early hour and was already armed to the teeth with extra ammo belts draped across his wide, barrel-like torso. "Our target's the Sector Five Reactor. We're gong to meet on the train and you'll get the rest of the details there." He looked at his gun-arm and focused on fiddling with it but seemed to force himself to look at Cloud's still sleepy face. "Hey."

"What?"

"Before the next mission, I gots to ask you somethin'." The big man stopped tuning his gun with a sheepishly embarrassed expression. "I don't know how to use materia; you think you could show me?"

Unable to resist the opportunity to annoy Barret, Cloud sighed, in a theatrically exasperated way. "Okay. It's not _too_ tough."

He pulled out his sword and green sphere of materia. "You know about the different kinds, right? Colors and uses and stuff?" Barret answered him with a blank look. Trying not to smirk too obviously, the young man held the tiny green one to the light. "This is a basic spell materia, and the concentration of Mako makes it green. Just like with the other kinds, different levels of Mako make it different colors. There's blue, yellow, red, and purple. The blue materia is the weakest kind alone, but it acts like an amplifier and it makes other materia stronger. Yellow materia actually makes you faster and smarter, making it easier to be almost superhuman in battle. Red allows you to call powerful monsters and demons. Purple changes the environment around you."

"What do mean 'environment'?" Barret asked, still looking confused. "Does it change the weather, or, like plants an' stuff?"

The young mercenary positively loved this; Barret was completely at his mercy. "No, not like that." He noted with smug satisfaction that the other man seemed disappointed. "They alter things about you, like, there's one that repels monsters, one that attracts them, and even one that attracts chocobos."

Barret scratched his head, and Tifa, behind him, could barely suppress a giggle. "So how do you use it?"

"Concentration."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, basically." Cloud held out his hand, and small flame flickered to life. "The more you use it the better you get at controlling it. Instead of just creating fire, you could shoot it at someone, or you could even shield yourself with it." Cloud's hand turned, and the small burst of fire elongated and it swirled over his hand and arm, like a red ribbon floating above his flesh. "Materia can slow down your recovery from an injury, and even make you more susceptible to pain so it really is a double-edged sword. Some people are naturally adept with materia and some people just have to keep at it. I'm alright with it, but some of the guys from SOLDIER were able to do all kinds of amazing things."

"Shit!" the bigger man swore, "What's this 'it's not tough' crap?"

After a light breakfast, Cloud left the Seventh Heaven alone (as they were ordered to 'split up and move out') and walked out into the dark morning. He crossed the way to an old weapons shop and decided he had a little time before he would have to be at the station. He needed to sharpen his sword; all these metal monsters he'd been fighting had been taking a toll on the huge blade. Opening the door, the blond man glanced at the heavy weaponry hung around the room. He walked up to the counter and hit the service bell and a moment later, the shopkeeper, in need of a shower, sauntered out of a doorway behind the counter and glared at him suspiciously. "Never seen you around here." The man said bluntly, eyeing him.

Cloud ignored his suspicion, not caring what the man behind the counter thought of him. "What kind of materia you got?"

He pulled out a small box and opened it. Cloud began picking through it. "You an outsider or somethin'?" the man asked harshly, noticing how the other ignored his question.

"How long would it take you to sharpen my sword?" he asked absently, picking through the meager selection of Materia.

"Coupla' minutes, it'll cost you eight hundred."

Cloud waved a dismissive hand, and unsheathed his sword and handed it to the dirty man. The shopkeeper nearly dropped the oversized sword as he attempted to carry its full weight on his own. Sliding the blade in an oversized machine, he counted the money Cloud had placed onto the chipped and grimy counter.

The spikey haired youth showed the man the materia he had picked out, and the shopkeeper nodded. "Six-fifty."

Cloud cocked a blond eyebrow, "For this crap?"

"You're in the slums, idiot!" the man bellowed, offended, "Everyone's just trying to scrape enough money to live! You'd be lucky if I didn't shoot you-" he pulled out a handgun from underneath the counter, "and stole everything you had! I'm sure that sword would sell for a pretty high price."

Cloud narrowed his eyes dangerously. He had half-hoped someone would make the mistake of messing with him. It was nearly laughable; this middle aged shopkeep wanted to pick a fight with an ex-SOLDIER, and a First Class one at that. He doubted the man was much of a match for him, even with a gun. "Put that gun down, or I'll make you put it down," Cloud said darkly, moving slowly around the counter.

"It's loaded, so unless you want to die too you better just back the fuck off!"

Suddenly, a blaring noise erupted from the sharpening machine; making them both jump and letting them know that the massive sword was done. Cloud walked slowly over to the equipment and pulled the sturdy sword out of the machine.

The shopkeeper still had his handgun trained on the stranger, but he was a little more cautious, now that Cloud was so obviously armed again. The young swordsman held up his sword in a slow examination and swung it leisurely in a few experimental swipes. Suddenly, he brought the wide blade crashing down on the shopkeeper's gun. The shopkeeper looked at the other in disbelief. The barrel of the gun had been split in two. Cloud took the materia and left without another word, leaving the terrified shopkeeper staring at his mutilated gun.

Feeling arrogant and nearly invincible, Cloud trotted up to the train station where the rest of Avalanche was waiting in front. Barret nodded to him and signaled for everyone to board the train as it was preparing for the last few passengers. As they made there way towards an empty compartment, the huge man realized that they would not be able to occupy an entire section privately. In the corner, there was a man in a business suit, obviously in his way to work, which was more than likely the ShinRa Headquarters. They had counted on the early morning hour to provide them with few travelers.

Barret turned to his companions and barked, quite loud enough for the man to hear, "Yo, we don't got a private car today. That's a damned shame." The man looked nervously away from them, audibly mumbling about 'hooligans'.

Barret flopped down on the seat farthest towards the door where Tifa sat next to him. Cloud watched as Jessie and the others strolled casually back into one of the previous compartments. "So," Cloud asked, tearing his eyes away from the others, "what are we going to do now?"

The bigger man broke into an annoyed frown. "Shit! What hell you so calm about? You bustin' up my rhythm."

Tifa looked up as the train finally started to pull out of the station. "I think they just finished connecting the cars, we're finally leaving."

Cloud nodded and looked back to Barret. "So what's our next target?" he questioned in a hushed whisper, not wanting to alert the single other passenger to anything suspicious. The train rumbled forward slowly, picking up speed as it rounded the bend and dove underground. The muted light from the windows choked into blackness and fluorescent lighting as the train hurtled through the dark city tunnel.

Barret smiled, and crossed his arms smugly. "Listen to Mr. Serious-about-his-work!" he scoffed, shaking his head at every word for emphasis. "Alright, I'll tell ya!" He grinned wider when an aggravated look slowly spread across Cloud's still-boyish features. He also lowered his voice to a gravelly hiss, "Jessie's probably already told you, but there's a security check point at the top plate. It's an ID scan system checkin' all the trains."

Tifa interrupted, scowling, "Which ShinRa is very proud of."

Barret continued, "We can't use our fake ID's anymore-"

"Good morning, and welcome to Midgar Lines," the train's intercom voice said pleasantly. "Arrival time at Sector Four Station will be 5:00am."

Tifa glanced at her watch. "That means we've only got three more minutes to the ID checkpoint."

Barret nodded. "Alright then, in three minutes we're jumpin' off this train. Got it?" He looked out the window as calmly as if he had suggested a trip to the grocery store, but Cloud refused to feel daunted. Especially in front of Tifa, who seemed totally nonplussed. He sat down next to her and silently began the mental countdown.

He was just reprimanding himself not to count it down when a brilliant red flash startled him half to death. "This is bad," Tifa warned quietly through clenched teeth. "The ID checkpoint was supposed to be farther down."

The intercom sprang to life again. "Type A Security Alert! Unidentified passenger confirmed! A search of all cars will be conducted! Repeat! Type A Security Alert! Unidentified passenger confirmed! A search of all cars will be conducted!"

"What's goin' on?" Barret boomed as a panic-stricken Jessie raced in.

"We're in trouble," she panted, "I'll explain later. Hurry! Get into the next car!"

Barret swore violently, "Fuck! Someone blew it!"

"Unidentified passengers located in car number one. Preparing for lockdown." A loud siren was now accompanying the calm female voice.

"Let's go!" Barret waved his gun-arm towards the next compartment. "Keep it up!"

The three of them rushed into the next car, and right into Biggs. "Nice of them to give us a warning!" he panted with a crooked smile.

"Car One locked down. Upgrading to Level 2 warning."

Wedge raced up behind Barret, and continued for the door to the next car. "They're gonna lock the door!"

"Unidentified Passengers located in Car #2. Preparing for lockdown."

"Just run!" Jessie yelled in a panic behind them. "Change to plan two!" Cloud could feel the utter pandemonium that grew thick around him as he ran blindly into the next car. He didn't know what their plan was, or even if they had a plan; he was simply following Barret and Tifa as they charged forward amongst the other baffled passengers.

Just as they set foot inside, the intercom buzzed to life again. "Car 2 locked down. Upgrading to Warning Level 3." Suddenly, the flashing red light died off, much to the relief of the Ex-SOLDIER.

Barret looked around in confusion, "What the fuck? Are we clear?"

Jessie shook her head, "Not yet. They're starting another search. I managed to screw up the security system on the train enough to make the intercom broadcast the security steps, but I think they just figured out how to shut it off. If we're caught, we're done for. If we move up the train, car by car, we should get an opening to get out."

She moved forward again, leading the way towards the back at a run with the rest of them tailing her. As they broke into the next car, the red lights began to flash again, and the intercom resumed dictating the computer warnings, "Unidentified passenger moving to front of train. Currently tracking location."

Jessie and the others burst into the final compartment and quickly crowded around the door in the far corner. Barret flung it open and the roar of passing tunnel and the rush of wind was deafening. "All right!" Barret shouted over the din, "Let's get the hell out of here!" He turned to Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge, "Stay here and follow the original plan!"

Tifa cautiously glanced out the door, the force of the wind blowing her thick brown ponytail. She looked back to Cloud, "That's just a little scary," she yelled to him with a bit of sarcasm.

Cloud smiled a bit, "Too late for that, isn't it?" He met her eyes and his expression went soft. "Why'd you come along anyway?"

She turned her head sadly but didn't answer. Barret turned back towards the door as the three others turned and ran back out of the compartment to carry out his orders. He glared at Tifa and Cloud who had both gone silent. "There ain't no time for that!" he barked, "Time to move out!"

Tifa nodded and smiled energetically, moving up to the door and gripping the frame. "Watch this," she said, winking, "Alright, here I go!" She leaned back and before Cloud had a chance to worry, she shot forward and leapt forward and was gone.

He shook his head, clearing out whatever fear may already be there, and looked over his shoulder to the leader of Avalanche. "You don't care if I go first?"

The other waved a dismissive hand. "A leader always stays to the end! Just go!"

Cloud nodded and, mimicking Tifa, clutched to door frame and propelled himself out into the void


	3. Mission: Failed

Chapter Three

Mission: Failed

Tifa landed with a deafening thud, and rolled right into the concrete wall. After a few moments, she pulled herself to her knees and examined the minor bruises that resulted from her daring leap from the speeding train. She stood up shakily, and fixed her long ponytail as she jogged down the tunnel in hopes of finding Cloud and Barett. She had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. The mission had barely begun and things had already taken a turn for the worse. As she rounded a bend in the tunnel, she came across the form of Cloud, sprawled awkwardly across the hard cement floor. She ran to his side as he sat up. He groggily shook his head, blond spikes waving with him. "Damn." He smiled weakly at her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, glad that he didn't get hurt. "Yeah, I'm fine. Can you stand? We gotta find Barret." He pulled himself sorely to his feet, and walked next to her. They only walked for a few paces before they came across Barret. He was sitting, but propped up against the wall, tending to a nasty looking gash on his left shoulder. When he saw the two, he stood up and winced a bit.

"Good, so far everything's going as alright" he said, mostly to himself. Cloud answered his statement with a roll of his deep blue eyes, he hardly considered leaping out of a train going full speed following the plan, but Barret continued anyway. "Better not let your guard down till we get to the Sector Five reactor. Jessie and the others got everything ready for us, so move it. The reactor's just down this tunnel."

The trio walked for what seemed like hours and to make matters worse, the drab tunnel had no distinguishing features, so it was impossible to tell if they weren't just walking in circles. Finally, just as Cloud was about to voice this unhappy thought to Barret, there surroundings finally changed and the found a turn. They followed the corner and into a dead end; there were security lasers stretched across the hallway. Cloud let out a loud annoyed sigh and shook his head. "Those are security sensors. We can't go any further."

Tifa glanced to her right, as the two men stared hopelessly at the wall of lasers, and caught sight of a ventilation duct. "Hey, do you think we get through that vent?"

They followed her gaze to the tiny opening, less than a yard across. Barret put his hands on hips and wrinkled his face in apprehension. "That is one damn tiny hole." He eyed it skeptically and asked, "You're tellin' me to squeeze into that thing? You don't even know where it goes."

"It's a vent, isn't it?" Tifa said, shrugging. "Wouldn't it make sense for it to go up?"

Cloud kneeled down next to it and looked into the dark depths. "Well, it goes down for a little bit then turns. That section would be parallel to the ground here."

She looked over his shoulder, leaning forward to get a better look. "I think that we'll be okay, there's nothing to get snagged on and its wide enough for us to squeeze in." She looked over to Barret who looked thoroughly put off by the whole idea then added, "Barely."

Cloud nodded in agreement, "Yeah. But if we go down there, I don't know how we'll get back up."

Barret growled, impatient as ever. He strode over to the hole. "Well, we're wastin' time. I guess we just gotta get in this nasty thing. But, damn man, this thing gives me the chills."

The shorter man shrugged. At Barret's vehement insistence, took the lead and backed down into the little duct. Tifa followed behind, and Barret climbed in after her, swearing violently the whole time. As they made the first turn with difficulty, they found that Tifa's surmise had been spot-on. After heading forward for a few feet, the passage turned up again and they had to climb by bracing their upward motion by planting their feet and hands on the walls of the somewhat flimsy aluminum walls. The crawl was long, tiring, and tedious. Barret's impatience had prompted Tifa to read the time on her watch aloud every so often. They had pushed along for nearly an hour before the vent widened and the distinct stench of Mako became evident.

"That was really lucky," Cloud said softly to Tifa, "I think this vent leads right into the reactor."

As the smell grew stronger and stronger the three of them were finally able to locate a grated opening to identify their surroundings. As Cloud had guessed, they were in the reactor itself, looking down on a barren corridor, identical to one Cloud and Barret had seen in the Sector One reactor. To save money, the ShinRa had constructed all their reactors from the same plans and once they had removed the grating, they were able to persue the same course they had used in the first bombing to locate to core of the sector five reactor.

Cloud shifted the weight of his sword as they walked up the central T-intersection of catwalk that led into the physical core where the bomb would be planted. He followed Tifa and Barret down the small path towards it and passed through the final door. The console sat in the same spot as it had on the first mission, at the end of a stretch of catwalk, hundreds of feet above the emerald lake of liquid Mako beneath them.

Without warning, Cloud's vision went red and he blacked out, slumping to the ground like a child's forgotten rag doll. Vision came back to him fuzzy and distorted; he remembered climbing the down ladder and looking down at a younger Tifa on an identical catwalk, engulfed in the same reek of Mako. She was hunched over the body of an older man, sobbing desperately. An oddly long sword on the floor next to her, and it brought a sudden drop into his stomach. The girl looked up, her amber eyes brimming with tears. "Papa…" she sobbed, but then, turning to the blood-soaked sword blinked in surprise and a dawning sense of revenge, "Sephiroth." She stood up, glaring with all the hate she could muster in her young face. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he!?" she shouted. She gasped for air and sobbed uncontrollably again, "Sephiroth, SOLDIER, Mako Reactors, ShinRa- Everything!!" She stood up, glaring with an absolute hate through her tear-stained face. "I hate them all!!" she screamed, and lifted the heavy sword, half-carrying, half dragging it into the next room.

Cloud suddenly came out of his hallucination. He looked up dazedly from the dirty floor of the catwalk. Barret looked worried for a moment before he furrowed dark eyebrows, "Damn man, get a hold of yourself."

Tifa was loyally at his side, for which he was briefly thankful. "You all right?" She asked, possibly fighting off tears.

He stood up shakily and leaned on the railing for support. His head and heart were pounding wildly, "Tifa?" He shook his head yet again. "No... forget... Come on, let's hurry up." Tifa let him walk toward the control panel, a bit hurt by his inability say anything

He hurriedly planted the bomb, and the trio raced back down the hallways. They moved quickly through the T intersection that would eventually lead down to street level. Running around the corner, they stopped dead in their tracks; a troop of ShinRa soldiers were waiting for them. Recoiling slightly, Barret looked stunned, angry, and a little frightened all at once. "ShinRa soldiers?" he swore, his eyes darting for some answer to their need for help. "Shit! What the hell's going on?"

Cloud drew his sword and brandished it menacingly, "A trap." He growled through clenched teeth, "We were too predictable"

It was dead silent for a long minute, then someone walked up the plank they had just came from. The footfalls echoed loudly in the sudden silence and as Barret whirled around, his dark eyes nearly popped out of his head. "President ShinRa!?"

Tifa cringed back a bit, "Why is the President here?"

The fat man walked slowly, angering Barret even more with each step. "So you all must be that...what was it?" he asked, waving a careless hand. His scarlet suit was perfectly creased even as the slight breeze from the height ruffled his greasy blonde hair.

"AVALANCHE!" Barret roared at the top of his voice, "And don't ya forget it!"

Cloud stepped in front of the seething renegade, and locked eyes with the man who, through whatever means necessary, had taken control over the civilized world. "Long time no see, President."

The wealthy man cocked a thinning eyebrow. "Long time no see? Oh, I see, you used to be in SOLDIER. I knew you'd been exposed to Mako from the glow in your eyes. Tell me, traitor, what was your name?"

"Cloud Strife."

"Well, forgive me for asking, but I can't be expected to remember each person's name. Unless you became another Sephiroth." He sighed almost wistfully. "Yes, he was brilliant. Though, perhaps too brilliant."

Cloud stepped back as though he had been physically hit. "Sephiroth?"

Barret pushed the smaller man behind him, unable to control himself any longer. "Don't give a damn 'bout none of that! This place's goin' up with a big fuckin' BANG soon! Serve's y'all right!" He gestured wildly at the well-dressed man.

"And such a waste of fireworks, just to get rid of vermin like you," he smiled smoothly, showing perfectly white teeth..

Barret lost his cool completely and started bellowing with such poor grammar that it wasn't difficult to miss what he was saying entirely. "Vermin!? That's all you can say! Vermin! Y'all ShinRa are the vermin! Killin' the planet! And that makes you King Vermin! So shu'up jackass!"

"You are beginning to bore me. I'm a very busy man, so if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner I must attend."

"Dinner!!?" the dark man spat, infuriated. "Don't gimme none of that! I ain't even started wit' you yet!"

The President smiled knowingly. "But, I've made arrangements for a playmate for you all." He pulled out a small remote and jabbed the button with a pudgy finger. A slight whirring noise grew louder and louder until a towering robotic beast burst out from the hallway to their left. "Meet Airbuster," the President sneered. "A techno-soldier. Our Weapon Development Department created him. I'm sure the data he'll extract from your dead bodies will be of great use to us in future experiments."

Cloud stole a sideways glance at the mechanical menace. "Techno-soldier?" A helicopter descended swiftly to the catwalk and President ShinRa began to board it. Cloud sprinted forward but couldn't reach him quick enough. The helicopter slowly straightened out and flew off into the darkness above them.

Cloud whirled around, and saw the Airbuster cornering Barrett and Tifa. "Yo! Cloud! We've gotta do somethin' about him!" Barret yelled, firing his gunarm. 

"Hurry up! We could use the help!" Tifa shouted, casting a surge of fire that didn't seem to do anything. Cloud sprinted behind it and swung his sword at the beast, knocking a chunk of metal off it. "This thing is from SOLDIER?" Tifa shouted to him.

"No way! This is just a machine!" He yelled back to her.

Barret continued firing bullets at it looking far angrier than Cloud could ever recal seeing him, "I don't care what the fuck it is, I'm gonna bust him up!" The huge man rolled left as a spray of fire erupted from the machine. Cloud growled in contempt and fired a lightning bolt into the Airbuster's head area. A couple of fuses short-circuited, it was obviously having trouble moving. It lurched forward suddenly, catching the other two off guard and ramming directly into them.

They were knocked a good distance away and rather hard, but to the mercenary's relief, they began to doggedly pull themselves to their feet. Thankful for the healing materia he had purchased before, he managed to cast a curative spell on the two of them from around the side of the menace as it was preparing for another attack. They stood up and were about to continue attacking it when a loud beep sounded from within the monster. Barret's eyes widened with understanding and was about to shout a warning, but before he could, the whole thing exploded. Bits of metal flew everywhere and shrapnel bit deeply into the flesh of the three rebels. The discharge took out a large chunk of catwalk, leaving a gaping maw where about fifteen feet of metal had been before. Tifa watched in complete horror as Cloud was thrown into the gap. He quickly reached out and grabbed hold of a protruding piece of rebar. He looked over his shoulder, then closed his eyes at the dizzying height he was dangling over.

Barret grabbed Tifa's shoulder, "The bomb's blow, we gotta get out of here!"

"Barret, do something!" she pleaded in near hysterics. "We can't just leave him!"

He solemnly shook his head and pulled her back gently; he was half-afraid that she might jump after Cloud. "There's no way to reach him!" He tried to reason with her, but she was still struggling forward.

She leaned as far as Barret would allow and stretched out her hand to Cloud, who was much too far to reach it. "Cloud! Don't die! You can't die! There's still so much I want to tell you!" Tears began to spill from her eyes and she bit back sobs as she still pulled against Barret's grip.

He smiled at her, starting to see the hopelessness of the situation. Even now his strength was beginning to fail, his am was burning and he could feel his gloved hands slipping. "I know…Tifa." The catwalk shook violently.

Barret glanced at him, quietly admiring his determination and strength, even if he was a smart-mouthed little punk most of the time. He knew that he had to move, and experience had taught him not to let emotions get in the way of goals. "Hey-"

Cloud shook his head, wincing at the growing pain in his arm. "You worry about yourselves. Take care of Tifa."

She choked on a sob and nearly went limp with despair. He was staring death in the face and he was thinking of her safety. Barret tightened his grip on her as the fear she might jump strengthened. "Alright. Sorry 'bout this," he called, resigned to the unavoidable outcome.

The entire structure shook violently, drowning out Tifa's hysteric shrieks and Cloud slipped and fell from the Upper Plate to the slums, an eternity below him.


	4. Voices from the Dark

Chapter Four

Voices from the Dark

Are you alright?

_So dark. Am I dead?   
_

Can you hear me?

Cloud listened carefully, through the darkness; he could hear the voice, the same voice that had spoken to him in the first Reactor. It was so terribly familiar, like a haunting memory. Maybe it was best he couldn't recall who it was, there were so many other things he wanted to rid from his already muddled past. _Yeah._

Back then... You could get by with just skinned knees...

He floated aimlessly in the darkness, unable to see anything_. What do you mean by 'back then'? _

What about now? Can you get up?

He wrinkled his brow in confusion, or at least, tried to. _What do you mean by 'that time'? What about now?_

Don't worry about me. You should worry about yourself...

He struggled to move, anything that might reveal his location, or the male voice, or even if he was still alive. _I...I'll give it a try... _He was suddenly able to feel the ground beneath his back. He tried to move again, but this time, he was met with waves of pain raking up and down him. 

"Oh! He moved!" He heard a female voice exclaim. 

Cloud tried to communicate with the previous voice. _How about that?_

Take it slow. Little by little.

"Hello?" The female called.

Cloud concentrated on the first voice. _I know._ He paused for a moment. _Hey, who are you?_

"Hello?" the female called again.

Without really controlling it, Cloud slowly pulled into consciousness. He was staring up at a wooden ceiling, a good distance above him, with a large hole through it. He weakly looked to his right, and saw the girl he had bought a flower from after his first mission with AVALANCHE. She smiled sweetly at him. "You okay? This is a church in the Sector 5 Slums. You suddenly fell on top of me. You really gave me a scare!"

He brought a gloved hand to his forehead and winced painfully. "I came crashing down?"

She nodded, her bangs swinging into her cheerful face. "The roof and the flower bed must have broken your fall. You're lucky."

"Flower bed? Is this yours?" He stood up and brushed some of the dirt off his shoulders. He felt mostly fine- a little groggy, a great deal of sore pain, but mostly fine. "Sorry about that."

She stood up as well, still smiling. "That's all right. The flowers here are resilient because this is a sacred place. Even though you can't grow grass or flowers in Midgar, they love it in here." She looked around her and breathed the air in deeply, "_I_ love it here." She kneeled and began to tend to the flowers that Cloud had flattened from his fall. "So," She looked up, her eyes shone brightly. "So, we meet again. Do you remember me?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, I remember, I ran into you after the Reactor One explosion."

She brightened up. "I'm glad you remember! Thanks for buying my flowers." She paused for a moment. She was very talkative, but he didn't really mind. "You look like a tough guy, do you have any materia?"

"Yeah, some." He affirmed, picking up his sword that had been embedded in the floor next to the little garden. "Nowadays you can find materia anywhere."

She pointed to a white materia orb that was secured to her thick braid of hair. "I have some too, but mine is special," she giggled. "It's good for absolutely nothing."

Cloud admitted to himself that he hadn't ever seen a materia that looked quite like it. He threw her a questioning glance. "Nothing? You probably just don't know how to use it."

She shook her head, still smiling brightly. "No, I do. It just doesn't do anything. I feel safe just having it, though. It used to be my mother's." She looked upwards, frowning thoughtfully at the gaping hole in her roof, "I kinda feel like talking. Do you feel up to it? After all, here we are meeting again, right?"

He thought for a moment, noticing the dull aching in his head was starting to abate. "I don't mind."

She beamed happily at him. "Hang on just a second, I gotta water the flowers." She went to work quickly, propping up a few broken flowers and sprinkling a bit of water on them. "Oh! You know, we don't know each other's names, do we? I'm Aeris Gainsborough, and, obviously, I'm a flower girl. Nice to meet you." She bowed her head slightly.

"I'm Cloud. I do a little bit of everything," he nodded slightly to her as well, slightly amused at the propriety of their introduction.

"Oh! A jack of all trades," she seemed delighted to learn this and clapped her hands together softly.

He nodded. "Yeah. I do whatever's needed." She laughed a bit, which was a beautiful sound, full of light, and he looked at her questioningly. "What's so funny? What are you laughing at?"

She stopped and smiled at him again. "Sorry, I just-"

Cloud tensed suddenly and glared at something behind her. Noticing his sudden mood swing, she looked behind her to see a tall, lean man with a wrinkled business suit on in the doorway of the church. He calmly brushed a strand of fiery hair out of his aqua-green eyes. Cloud only saw a nightstick strapped to his thigh, but he guessed that his wrinkled suit more than likely concealed more weapons. The intruder smirked, his cigarette dangling from his lips.

Aeris seemed to shrink back, and she leaned closer to Cloud for protection. "Say, Cloud," she whispered, "Have you ever been a bodyguard? You do everything, right?"

He noticed the stranger wasn't making any hostile movements, but he didn't take his eyes off him for a split second. "Yeah, that's right."

The flower girl clung a bit closer to him, "Then get me out of here. Take me home."

Cloud nodded, his glare not wavering for a second. "I'll do it. But I don't work for free."

She frowned slightly; she didn't have any money on her. "Well then, how about if I go on a date with you once?"

This time Cloud looked at her, confused. The strange man in the doorway of the church took a couple of steps forward, causing the now-bodyguard to shift the weight of his enormous sword. He stalked toward the intruder. "I don't know who you are, but…"

The other man smirked sadistically again. "You don't know me?"

I know you.

Cloud nodded. "Another ShinRa uniform. What are you, some kind of hungover Turk?"

Three ShinRa guards followed up behind the scruffy man. "Reno! Do you want him taken out, sir?"

Reno smirked again and ran a gloved hand through his flaming red mop of hair, and then back along his unkempt ponytail, "I haven't decided yet."

Aeris put her slim hands on her hips. "You guys better not fight here. These flowers are my livelihood so have some consideration!" She reached forward and grabbed Cloud's arm, "We can get out through the roof, there's a path in the back room." He nodded silently, and they both turned and ran for the back door.

Reno chuckled quietly to himself as he watched them go, "He had Mako eyes. This could be interesting." He turned to the lethargic guards behind him. "Yeah, all right. Back to work, back to work." He licked his lips; savoring the taste of the beer he downed before his latest assignment and the promise of imminent combat, and took his time walking towards the back room after his prey. On his way, he made use of his boots, tramping on as many flowers as he could fit under his feet. He had made it to the door, when he turned back to the ShinRa soldiers behind him who had started to follow. "Hey, remember not to step on the flowers." He laughed louder as the three of them started jabbering at once. 

"Boss, you just stepped all over them!"

"They're all ruined!"

"You're gonna catch a holy hell!"

Cloud and Aeris ran into the surprisingly large back room. He looked up and saw the opening in the ceiling she mentioned. "Can we get down if we go out through the roof?" She nodded, her thick braid swinging behind her. Guesturing towards the ancient wooden staircase in front of them, she started for them at a run.

He followed easily, running up the creaky wooden steps and around the bend to a rather large gap in the path where some huge piece of building material had fallen through the stairs and made the hole in the roof. Aeris bit her lip as Cloud took a running leap and cleared the void in the floorboards. He landed light on his feet and turned to her. "C'mon, hurry up.!"

She was about to protest when the door was kicked in and Reno and his three back-ups walked inside. "There they are!" he shouted to his men as he pulled out a handgun from the inside of his jacket. The four ShinRa employees opened fire.

Aeris screamed and stepped back. Unfortunately, it couldn't support her weight and she fell through. She heard Cloud shout her name but the old air rushing past her ears muted it somewhat. Reno directed on of the guards to catch her. "D'ya think we killed her?" he asked, loud enough for the Ex-SOLDIER to hear as Aeris unceremoniously landed on the guard, knocking him off balance, "That's what they get for resisting."

The guard, tottering to regain balance and find a better method of holding the woman, was taken off guard when she suddenly shrieked and began to flail wildly. He couldn't hold on and he dropped her. She took off for the stairs, and Reno's men all shot forward to grab her. "Cloud! Help!" Already gasping for breath, she knew there was no way for her to outrun the guards, who were closing in on her. She wanted to smack herself for leaving her fighting staff at home; not that she was an adept enough fighter to beat off the three guards and Reno, but anything was better than nothing as far as she was concerned.

A loud gasp behind her caused her to look fearfully over her shoulder. The closest soldier had abandoned the chase and was looking up at the ceiling in horror. She glanced upward just in time to catch a glimpse of a heavy barrel crashing down on the man. Cloud had raced all the way to the rafters and was busy knocking over the heavy supply barrels that had been positioned around the attic level by the church's previous owners.

Thankful while still fearing she may be crushed by a falling, Aeris flew up the stairs, knowing that she wouldn't have made it if it weren't for Cloud's resourcfulness. He met her half way and helped he clear the gap, then crossed it himself. Reno and the two conscious soldiers opened fire, but they were so far downstairs that their accuracy suffered and they missed. Cloud snickered quietly as he led Aeris up the musty steps and across rotten rafters as they made their way to the gaping hole in the roof. The pair climbed out on the rickety roof and ducked into the shadows. From their hidden vantage point, they could see Reno berating his underlings as they limped painfully in his wake. Aeris grinned triumphantly, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her emerald eyes, "He's looking for me again, and I still got away."

Cloud looked at her, surprised. "He's been after you before?"

"Yeah, I run in to him from time to time," she said, a little exasperating.

"He's from the Turks," he explained quietly. "They're an organization within the ShinRa. They usually serve as body guards and scout for possible candidates for SOLDIER."

She raised a thin eyebrow and smiled in an incredulous sort of way. "This violently? I was pretty sure they were trying to kidnap me."

He nodded, "Yeah, they're also involved in a bunch of dirty stuff on the side. Spying, murder, you know. They're basically the president's lap dogs and do whatever nasty stuff needs to be done."

"They definetly look like it," she agreed with a small sigh.

Cloud leaned forward to meet her eyes. "But why would they be after you? There must be a reason, right?"

She avoided his gaze, looking interestedly at the empty street below. "I don't know, they just chase after me and I run away. Maybe they think I have what it takes to be in SOLDIER."

He smirked a bit with a slight laugh, remembering his grueling training to get into the elite group. "Maybe you do. You want to join?"

"I don't know, but I _do _know that I _don't_ want to get caught by them."

He stood up, visually scanning the debris next to the building for a path down. "Well, let's go. I don't feel like waiting around for them to show up again with reinforcements" She wholeheartedly agreed followed him down the slant of the roof and across neighboring rooftops and chunks of debris. Cloud leapt across great gaps and chasms that she had to pick her way around and he was able to heft himself up and over all sorts of obstacles that she struggled with. It wasn't long before she realized how far ahead of her he ahead of her he'd gotten.

Cloud was so focused on finding a safe route to get away from the church, and hopefully Reno as well that he had barely noticed he had left Aeris behind until called out to him. "Wait!" she wheezed, waving feebly, "Wait, I said!" She climbed doggedly to where he was standing, panting and sweating the whole way. "You have to slow down," she gasped, wiping her brow. "You're gonna leave me behind."

His face split with a wide grin and said teasingly, "I thought you said you were cut out for SOLDIER."

She tutted in annoyance, "You're terrible!" She frowned severely but her look softened as he burst into laughter. Looking at his clear cerulean eyes and their almost unnatural light, she was forcibly reminded of someone she thought she would never see again. Now that she took a good look at the young man in front of her, the similiarites were frighteningly similar. The mannerisms, speech, clothes, and even physique were very much alike. And if her memory wasn't mistaken, didn't _he_ use a huge, oversized sword as well? "Hey, Cloud," she asked seriously, "Were you ever in SOLDIER?"

He stopped laughing abruptly and turned to her with a mildly puzzled expression. "I used to be. How'd you guess?"

She looked away from his face to her feet. "Your eyes have a strange glow."

He nodded, also looking away. "That's the sign of Mako infusion; the calling card of SOLDIER. How did you know about that?"

She moved forward slightly and continued averting her gaze. "Oh, I don't know, I must've read it somewhere."

He cocked his head skeptically, "Read it somewhere?"

She glanced at him, a bit annoyed at his persistence. "Yes, like in a newspaper or something!" Climbing forward off the roof, she motioned for him to follow. "Come on, Bodyguard, I want to go home."

They walked on in silence, hoping desperately that the Turks had given up on her for today at the very least. After making their way off the mountain of debris that stretched over most of Sector Five, Aeris happily informed Cloud that her home was only a short distance down one of the side alleys. She led him through some of the Sector Five slums before they finally came upon a tiny pathway between two derelict buildings. The path suddenly opened into an open lot that couldn't have stood out more from its bleak surroundings. The house itself stood comfortably in the middle with small patches of flowers framing it. Beyond in the side yard, a garden had been planted and was in splendid bloom with blossoms of every imaginable color and shapes bouncing merrily in the weak breeze. As they approached the door, Cloud could even make out vegetable plants and cooking herbs nestled snugly between the flowers. He came back to his senses when Aeris lightly touched his upper arm and beckoned him inside.

It was tastefully decorated inside, and fresh flowers were in vase on the kitchen counters and on the quaint little dining table. Aeris stood at the bottom of a small flight of stairs and looked up into the upper level. "I'm home, mom!" She called.

There was movement across the floor of the second story and an older woman, possibly into her fifties, appeared at the stairs. She smiled warmly at her daughter, but frowned thoughtfully when her eyes wandered over to Cloud, standing awkwardly near the doorway. Aeris sensed this and turned back to her mother. "This is Cloud, my bodyguard."

The older woman looked at her, worry evident on her care-worn face. "Bodyguard?" She put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You mean you were followed again? Are you all right? You're not hurt are you?"

She was still smiling even as she shook her head. "I'm all right, Cloud was with me."

Her mother sighed, a bit exasperated and walked towards him. "Thank you, Cloud." She said seriously, bowing slightly. "I'm Elmyra Gainsborough, Aeris' mother." She turned and left abruptly, leaving complete silence until she was all the way upstairs.

Aeris turned to Cloud. "So, what are you going to do now?"

He stretched his arms and legs a bit, still quite sore from his horrendous fall. He was amazed he had been able to survive; not only that, but he didn't sustain any serious injuries. "Is Sector 7 far from here? I want to go to the Seventh Heaven."

She looked at him a little strangely, "Isn't that a bar?"

"My friend Tifa owns it, and I have to get back. I'm sure that everyone there thinks I'm dead from the fall."

She looked a bit more serious for a moment, "Is Tifa a girl?"

"Yeah."

"A girl… friend?"

His face immediately burned red. He wished he could call Tifa his girlfriend, but they had been friends since they were just kids. Why should put that at risk for his own selfish feelings? And besides, he was such a loser he was sure Tifa would be mortified at the very notion. He regained his train of thought to the sound of Aeris' high-pitched giggles.

Before Cloud could protest, she moved next to the stairs, and called to her mother. "Mom? I'm taking Cloud to Sector 7! I'll be back in a while!"

Elmyra came down the stairs and looked pleadingly at her daughter. "But it's getting dark out, can't you just wait? I can even make a nice place for your friend to sleep."

Aeris seemed to consider this a moment; she looked thoroughly ready to go out again, though her mother offered very sensible advice. "Yeah," she finally agreed, "you're right, mom."

Elmyra nodded back, looking relieved. "Why don't you pull that old cot out of the upstairs closet for our guest and I'll go get the linens." Aeris nodded happily and trotted up the stairs and left her mother alone with the mercenary.

She turned to him, looking suddenly stern. "I can tell from that glow in your eyes that you're from SOLDIER."

He nodded, feeling a bit wary of her severe expression. "A long time ago, yeah."

She looked totally stoic as she pulled some crisp sheets out of a neat stack in a closet and returned his stare unflinchingly. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but you please leave tonight? Without Aeris? She doesn't need to be mixed up with the ShinRa or put in any more danger."

He looked at her, surprised for a moment, and half-nodded. Elymra smiled weakly at him and politely directed him to follow her upstairs. As he reached the landing, Aeris met him with a sweet smile and showed him to his room where Elmyra went to work making his bead. "You need to go through Sector Six to get to Sector Seven," Aeris warned, "Six is pretty dangerous, so you'd better get some rest tonight." He nodded wordlessly and thankfully threw himself on the squeaky little cot as soon as Elmyra and Aeris had wished him a comfortable rest. He hadn't noticed until that minute, but he couldn't ever remember being so tired in his whole life. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious from his fall from the plate and it seemed like ages ago. He shut his eyes and it wasn't long before sleep came.

You seem pretty tired

Cloud was suddenly alert. He thought he had imagined it; the bodiless voice that had warned him in the first reactor and told him to get up after the fall. He wasn't sure if it was his subconscious talking to him but it was so familiar it made his head hurt.

I haven't slept in a bed like this in a long time.

_Oh yeah? _Cloud wasn't sure if he was actually speaking or telepathically talking or just thinking to himself, but he didn't really care at the moment. He was too tired.

You haven't been in a bed like this in a long time, either. Ever since that last time…

Suddenly, the devouring darkness faded. Cloud was lying on a bed, but in a completely different house. It had only one room, and there was a blond woman walking back and forth between some kitchen appliances across from the bed. It was his mother. She turned and smiled lovingly at her son, who was still loafing on the bed. "My, how you've grown. I'll bet the girls never leave you alone."

He remembered shaking his head at his mother. "Yeah right."

There had been a pause, as she tended to the food that she was preparing. "I'm worried about you. There are a lot of temptations in the city. I'd feel a lot better if you just settled down and had a nice girlfriend."

"I'm all right." He vividly remembered his mother's hurt expression, and how she had quickly covered it up.

"You should have an older girlfriend, one that'll take care of you. I think that would be the perfect type for you."

"I'm not interested." He had sighed.

Cloud's deep blue eyes snapped open suddenly. He was back in Aeris' house on her squeaky old cot. He shook his head, as to physically clear away painful memories of his mother. Slowly, he slung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He checked the small clock on the wall and the hands revealed that it was almost one thirty in the morning. Remembering Elmyra's request he started to get ready to leave, he quickly checked his materia and snatched his sword from the corner and padded softly towards the bedroom door, listening for any sign of stirring as he went. Slowly, he opened the door and quietly moved down the creaky wooden stairs. He made it to the front door without any trouble and in no time at all, he had already crossed through Sector Five and was almost at the alleyway that lead to Sector Six. He turned the corner abruptly and right into an annoyed looking Aeris.

He noticed that this time, she had a fighting bo strapped to her back. "You're up bright and early," She said pointedly and put her hands on her slim hips.

Cloud instantly went into a defensive argument. "How could I ask you to go along when I knew it would be dangerous?"

She rolled her shimmering emerald eyes. "Are you done?" She watched him run a nervous hand through his spikey blond hair, and almost laughed out loud when the stiff spikes returned to their original position. "Sector Seven is only a little farther. I'll take you there."

Before Cloud could civilly protest, she was already running down the way. He sighed and jogged up after her. They walked in silence through Sector Six; it really wasn't anywhere as dangerous as he had imagined it. The worst dealing they had was a couple of everyday street thugs that had thought mugging them might be an easy job. Cloud had easily changed their thinking and sent them fleeing through the alleys. After they resumed their trek Cloud looked sideways at Aeris and had to remind himself that he was a great deal stronger than she was, and that by herself, she wouldn't have been able to escape the theives.

Aeris sighed in relief as they made it out of the demolished sector and pointed to a heavy iron gate just beyond the beat up playground they had come to stand in. "That's the gate to Sector Seven."

Cloud nodded and smiled. He couldn't wait to see Tifa and let he know that he was okay. "Thanks a lot, I guess this is goodbye. You gonna be alright going home?"

"Oh no!" The thought had never crossed her mind.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled sympathetically. "Come with me to Sector Seven and we'll get you home tomorrow," he offered.

"I could do that," she agreed reluctantly. "But won't I be in your way?"

Cloud grew a little impatient; he really had to see Tifa. "It won't be a big deal, come on."

"Alright, but can we take a quick break?" He nodded to her hesitantly, and she climbed up to the top of the moogle-shaped slide they were standing next to. "Come up here, don't stand down there looking all serious."

He smiled tiredly; try as he might, he couldn't refuse such a simple request and climbed up and sat down next to her. She looked at him and grinned brightly, glad that he had joined her. Looking away for a moment, she tried not to acknowledge the haunting similarities Cloud always made her remember. The question had plagued her since she had first heard him talk. Why were they so similar? Could they have known each other? The mystery was eating away at her heart; a heart that had already mended years ago but with the arrival of this familiar stranger had torn old wounds open anew. "What rank were you?" she asked suddenly; wanting to pry and not wanting to all at the same time.

"Rank?" he asked blankly, turning to meet her gaze.

"You know," she clarified, "in SOLDIER."

"Oh, I was-" Aeris watched confused as his eyes suddenly went blank. She breathed a sigh of relief when he came back to his senses. "First Class."

She looked away with a slightly nostalgic sadness in her countenance as she looked down to her booted feet. "The same as him."

"The same as who?" Cloud asked.

"My first boyfriend; he was a First Class SOLDIER as well."

"You were serious?" He looked at her casually but was secretly wondering why they both suddenly prying into each other's lives.

She laughed lightly, "No. But I liked him for a while."

He smiled back at her, feeling a little more at ease. "I probably knew him, not many make it to First Class. What was his name?"

He frowned thoughtfully as she shook her head sadly. "It doesn't really matter, he hasn't been in contact-" She was cut off as a loud rumbling erupted from the gate to Sector Seven slid open. "Hey, the gate's opening."

Cloud stood up and watched as a carriage being pulled by a chocobo lumbered toward Wall Market at the far end of the plaza. As the unwieldy carriage trundled around the corner, a slim figure inside caught his attention. "Tifa!?" he shouted in surprise.

Aeris followed his gaze to see a girl her age riding in the back wearing a flamboyant purple mini dress. Within seconds the cart was out of view. "That was Tifa? Where's she going in a fancy thing like that? She looked kind of odd." She didn't let Cloud reply as she hopped from the slide and raced after the wagon.

Cloud shouted to her. "Wait! I'll go on alone! You go home!!" He growled to himself when she ignored him and kept following it towards the market. Quickly, he jumped down too, and ran after her.


	5. Slum Life

Chapter Five

Slum Life

Cloud finally caught up with Aeris as she passed into Wall Market, a place well known throughout the entire city. "Wait!" he called to her. She finally stopped.

"This place is scary in a lot of ways because it's so dangerous." She told him, rather abruptly. "_Especially_ for a girl. So we've got to find Tifa fast."

Cloud frowned darkly. He didn't like what Aeris was implying at all. He knew that Tifa was one of the best martial artists he knew, and she was perfectly able to defend herself, but he couldn't keep himself from worrying. If anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself. He wordlessly followed Aeris around the marketplace, lost deep in thought. They turned a blind corner and right onto the walkway that led up to a building with neon signs all over. They all read 'Honey Bee Manor'. Cloud growled, disgusted. He wrinkled his nose as a fat man in a suit waddled up to him, grinning widely. "Welcome!" he greeted, holding out a business flyer which Cloud made no movement to take. "Even unloved losers like yourself may meet your romantic destiny here! And what kind of company would you be looking for tonight?"

The Ex-SOLDIER shook his head and made a disgusted face. "I'm looking for a girl named Tifa," he hated thinking she might be at a scummy place like this, but he kept a level head.

The obese man laughed harshly. "Ah, I see you have a taste for the top of the trend! Tifa's our newest girl!" Cloud's heart dropped and his stomach twisted into knots and the strange man continued as though he were trying to sell a moderately used car. "I'm very sorry to say, but she's interviewing with the Don. It's a quality-assurance tradition we've had at the Honey Bee Manor for the last ten years."

Cloud snarled loudly and wanted nothing more than to beat the life out of the ass. He felt his own fists tighten, but before he could do anything, he felt a small hand on his shoulder, reminding him that Aeris was still there. She offered him a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't worry, Cloud. Let's go." He glared hate-daggers at the fat guy before turning around and following Aeris out. He watched moodily as Aeris walked up to somebody and asked about the Don's whereabouts.

"Just keep goin' straight." He heard him say. The flower girl thanked him and returned to Cloud.

"C'mon, Cloud. That guy was nice enough to give us directions." He nodded back to her, and this time, he led the way to the Don's mansion at the edge of Wall Market. The walk was short and pretty soon, they traveled up another walkway that led to a fairly lavish-looking mansion. Cloud stalked up to the man at the gate. The gatekeeper eyed Aeris and looked up to the Ex-SOLDIER. "This is the mansion of Don Corneo, the most powerful man in Wall Market." He sneered at Cloud, "Look, the Don's not into men, so get lost, ya creep."

The blond mercenary scowled angrily, and the other man visibly cringed. He resolved that he wouldn't leave his post and tried to think of something that would keep this battle-worn street rat at bay. "Send her in," he cowered, pointing to Aeris, "the Don'll give you a fat stack of cash."

Aeris quickly dragged Cloud off to the side before a fight broke out. "Hey, don't worry," She said soothingly, trying to sound calm and confident. "I'll go take a look. I'll tell Tifa about you."

Cloud shook his head. "No!" he hissed, "You can't!" He had no right to bring a total stranger into this dirty situation. Especially someone as innocent as Aeris.

"Why?"

He slapped his forehead. "You _do_ know what kind of place this is, don't you? You _do _know what kind of risk you'd be taking by going in there, don't you?"

She looked over her shoulder uneasily. "Then what am I supposed to do? You want to come in with me?"

He frowned thoughtfully. "Well, they don't let men in, and if I just bust in, they may do something drastic and Tifa – and any other girls in there- might get hurt. But I can't let you go in there alone." She started snickering but he didn't notice. "First, we'll need to find out if Tifa's okay, then we'll-" He finally noticed her laughter; he stared at her for a second, a bit annoyed. "What's so funny?"

"Cloud, why don't you dress up like a girl? It's the only way." She suggested, still grinning broadly.

"What!?" He looked at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. But before she bothered to explain, she skipped over to the gatekeeper.

"Just wait, okay?" she promised, smiled brightly. "I have a cute friend I want to bring!"

He nodded and Aeris waltzed back over to Cloud. He ran his hands through his hair and then down over his crimson face. "Aeris, I can't."

She smiled and nodded encouragingly to him. "You _are_ worried about Tifa, aren't you?" He nodded through his gloved hands. "Then c'mon," she urged, giving him a good look, "we've got some work ahead of us."

Nearly two hours later, Cloud dragged himself into the dress shop for quite possibly the third or fourth time. Aeris held a bag out to him, which contained some of the items she had picked up for more 'effect'. He just could not believe what he was doing. 'I hope she appreciates it.' he thought morosely. He sulked into the dressing room and threw the bag on the bench. He swallowed his pride and slipped on the dress, feeling the burning sensation crawling up into his face even in the privacy of the changing room. Avoiding the mirror as though it showed ghosts in its surface, he resignedly put on the silky blond wig he had received by beating a couple of freaks at a gym at the squats. After that, he sprayed on some foul-smelling cologne that he gotten after an incident involving about twenty gay men and a bathtub that he would've loved to have burned out of his brain forever. He made sure his original outfit was secure underneath the dress, after all, he was only wearing it to get inside the stupid place. "Okay." he called to Aeris, who was most likely standing expectantly outside, then, surrendering what pride he had left opened the door.

Aeris grinned approvingly and the dressmaker gave him the thumbs-up. He smiled slyly, impressed with his handywork, "That's not bad, this may be a new business for me."

Cloud rolled his eyes as he felt his face grow hot. He shuffled closer towards the door. Aeris shook her head disapprovingly. "Walk more nicely, Miss Cloud."

He shook his head, and his shoulders slumped in frustration. "What do you mean, _nicely_?"

"Take smaller steps, Miss Cloud." She emphasized his new name and he rolled his eyes again. He did so and Aeris clapped, and began laughing. "Oh, you're so cute, Miss Cloud!" She wandered over to the clothing rack and began to shift through it. "Ah, I want one! Do you have one that'll look good on me, too?"

The shop owner and his daughter argued for a second, before Aeris gave up and picked up a floor length red dress. She trotted over to the dressing room and in a few minutes, she came strutting out. "So, how do I look?" Cloud shook his head in embarrassment and exasperation. "Oh! You're no fun!"

Cloud and Aeris briskly walked toward Don Corneo's mansion for the second time that day. Unfortunately for Cloud, it was something he was dreading immensely. To make matters worst, the people milling about on the streets were staring at him. Cloud felt his face burning and his stomach was doing acrobatics inside of him. 'Why couldn't we have just broken in?' he thought, mentally slapping himself. They walked up to the doorman Cloud had nearly tried to kill earlier. He looked up with a scowl but his expression turned to one of disbelief when he saw the two ladies in front of him. He immediately recognized the one on the left by her long braid that fell softly behind her. The second woman looked familiar but he couldn't get a good look at her face. She was looking at her feet and her hair partially covered the visible part of her face. He decided he liked her shyness.

"Damn!" The doorman exclaimed. "Your friend's hot, too!"

Cloud wanted to die.

"Come in, come in!" The doorman ushered them to the front door. "Two ladies coming to see the Don!"

Aeris led Cloud in and they were soon confronted by the receptionist. "Hey ladies," He smirked silkily at them. "I'll go let Don Corneo know you're here. Wait here, and don't go wandering around." 

As soon as he was out of sight, Cloud exhaled sharply. Aeris grinned at him. "Now's our chance," she whispered, "Let's find Tifa." He nodded and they quickly made their way upstairs. Almost by accident, he found a staircase heading down to the basement behind a gaudy crimson curtain. With Aeris following him, he quickly ran down the steps, his high heels clacking noisily with every pace. The steps seemed to go on forever, but when they finally stopped, the small hallway opened up into a bigger room.

Aeris saw a woman in the corner and approached her. The violet mini dress she was wearing was exactly as Aeris remembered from the chocobo carriage they had spotted in Sector Six. The brunette stranger turned around at her approach and looked at her questioningly. Aeris smiled politely. "Excuse me, but are you Tifa?" When Tifa nodded, Aeris smiled in a relieved sort of way and continued, "It's nice to meet you. Cloud's told me a lot about you."

Tifa's eyes lit up for a second. She suddenly realized who she was staring at, when she spoke next her voice was straining under the false pretense of casuality. She could never let her guard down about AVALANCHE's work and the ShinRa. "You're the one I saw with Cloud at the playground."

Aeris nodded. "Right, me and Cloud were talking, and we saw you go by."

Tifa's heart plummeted. She had seen Cloud there with this new girl but was too shocked that he was alive to notice the fact that he'd been with another girl. Tifa nodded to Aeris with a tired and forced smile. "Yes, I remember."

The flower girl sensed Tifa's apathy toward what she had accidentally implied and tried to cover it. "Oh! Don't worry, we just met so it's nothing."

The martial artist smiled briefly but played dumb for the sake of formality. "What do you mean, about what?" She was a little embarrassed that a total stranger had picked up on her hidden feelings. "No, don't misunderstand; Cloud and I grew up together, we're just friends."

The other girl snickered quietly. "Poor Cloud," she laughed with a theatrical sigh. He has to stand here and listen to both of us call him nothing." She was about to question what she meant when Aeris guestured to the other woman behind her. Aeris smiled broadly. "Right, Cloud?"

"Cloud?" Tifa's brows knitted together and she stepped closer to the girl. Cloud wished was dead again as his face burned crimson. "Why are you dressed like that?" Tifa asked, desperate for answers to this confusing end, "And what are you doing here?" Her chocolate eyes went wide with complete shock. "What happened to you after the fall? Are you hurt?"

Cloud put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. "It's okay, Tifa. Let me explain." His face turned a darker shad of red, but he desperately tried to hang onto his cocky attitude. "I'm dressed like this because there was no other way to get in here. I was knocked unconscious after the fall, but Aeris was able to help me out." Tifa nodded excitedly. "Now," Cloud started after a brief pause, "could you explain? What are you doing in a place like this?"

This time she turned a little red and looked a bit embarrassed and ashamed. "Yeah. Well..."

Aeris cleared her throat. "I'll just plug my ears."

Tifa looked at Cloud with untold emotion shining in her eyes. "I'm glad you're okay, I really thought you died."

He nodded, his hair and dress swaying a bit. "Thanks. What happened?"

She crossed her arms and started. "When we got back from the Sector Five reactor, there was this really suspicious little man. So Barret caught him and squeezed some information out of him."

He nodded again, desperately hoping that she would agree with his next statement of: "That's when the Don's name popped up."

It was her turn to nod. "Right. Don Cornero." Cloud mentally sighed with relief before she continued. "Barret told me to leave the lech alone, but something's been bothering me. The ShinRa knew we were planning to attack the Sector Five reactor, and I started thinking that maybe they're employing Don Corneo to send some of his little minions to collect information."

"So you wanted to get the straight from Corneo's mouth?" He wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of her sleeping with a stranger to get information, but then, he had know idea if Tifa's plan included bedding the slum lord. Besides, once they were alone, she would have no trouble killing him and escaping through a window or something.

"I made it here, but now I'm in a bind," She bit her lip nervously, "Corneo's looking for a bride." Cloud paled, expecting the worst. "Everyday he gets three girls, and chooses one of them. And then... and, well... I have to be the girl for tonight, or I'm out."

Aeris turned to face them from where she had been standing. "Sorry, but I overheard. If you know the three girls then there's no problem, right?"

"I guess so," Tifa trailed.

"We have two here, right?"

Cloud shook his head pointedly, "No! Aeris, I can't get you involved in something like this! Do you have any idea what they do to women here?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, so it's okay for Tifa to deal with that kind of danger?"

He clenched his fists. "Of course it isn't! I don't want Tifa in here either!"

Tifa and Aeris glanced at each other. The martial artist uncrossed her arms and asked seriously, "Is it really okay for you to risk this much to help total strangers?"

Aeris smiled thinly. "I grew up in the slums. I'm used to danger." She locked eyes with the dark-haired woman. "Do you trust me?"

Tifa smiled appreciatively, erasing all worried thoughts from her face. "Of course. Thank you, Miss Aeris."

Aeris smiled yet again. "Call me Aeris."

"Hey!"

The three people whirled to look in the direction the exasperated voice had come from. It was the receptionist. "It's time ladies, let's hurry up! The Don is waiting!" He walked back up the stairs, mumbling under his breath something about uncontrollable women nowadays. Cloud sighed heavily as he and the two girls started up the stairs. "I probably don't need to ask but the other girl is me, right?"

Tifa and Aeris smiled at each other. "You're right." Tifa grinned, "There was-"

"No need to ask." Aeris finished for her. The two of them were sent into a bout of giggles as Cloud sighed dejectedly.

A few moments later, the three of them walked into a large room, decorated with cheesy lights and other knick-knacks. In the middle there was a large desk and there were two scrubby bodyguards on either side. The man sitting at the desk, however, was a completely different story. He was dressed in a red robe and was lighting up a cigar as the three women walked in. The body guard on the left addressed them. "Okay, girls! Line up in front of the Don!"

They did so and Corneo's face broke into a toothy grin. "Oooh, splendid!" He nearly jumped off his desk and waddled up to the three of them. He stole a sideways glance up at Aeris and moved towards her, she smiled coyly. Cloud didn't know what to do. He didn't want that oversexed pervert anywhere near Aeris _or_ Tifa, but he didn't want to be chosen either. He stopped in mid thought as the Don looked him over. Cloud turned his face away from the cigar-smoking pervert as it burned redder than ever.

"What do you think?" he called over his fat shoulder to the guard behind him, "This one?"

'Try it Buddy. I'll make sure you'll never _ever_ have kids,' Cloud thought as loudly as he could. The Don left and started checking out Tifa, and Cloud's anger was starting to build. "Or maybe this one?" He grinned again and walked back over to Cloud.

'Goddammit.'

"I've made up my mind, boys!" He shouted gleefully as the other two cheered in anticipation. "My choice for tonight is-"

'Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.'

"This fine physical specimen!" He swung his meaty finger towards Cloud.

'Oh fuck.'

Tifa started giggling uncontrollably and Aeris soon joined in as they were led away.  
'They owe me SO bad,' He thought bitterly as they left. He snapped out of his train of thought as he felt a thick fist engulf his own. Mentally screaming at the indignity of it all he allowed the Don to lead him towards the back door of the office.

Cloud almost protested, but suddenly remembered how he was dressed. "Uh, please wait a moment!"

Corneo grinned imdulgently. "I love chickies who play hard to get!"

Cloud thought desperately for a better solution as he was led through the back door. He gulped nervously as the Don led him off behind a curtain. The room after was so tastelessly decorated he was beginning to get a headache.

The overweight slob smiled as he finally let go of Cloud's smaller fist. "We're finally alone."

The hired mercenary shuddered thinking that Corneo was bound to notice his costume was just that sooner or later. He was interrupted as the Don clambered onto the bed. "All right, pussycat! Come to daddy!" Cloud slowly and cautiously stepped towards the side of the bed, still wondering what the heck he was going to do.

"You're so cute!" Corneo gushed. Cloud's face turned every shade of red imaginable. "I never get tired of looking at you."

'Gods, either he's a really good actor or he really _does_ think I'm a woman.'

"Do you like me, too?" The Don questioned, almost sarcastically, casting him a sideways glance.

Cloud stuttered; he hadn't been prepared for that. 'What am I thinking!? I'm not prepared for any of this!'

Corneo pouted, and again there was a very subtle sarcastic air to his fake hurt. "You don't like me? There isn't someone else, is there?"

He mentally screamed in frustration, wondering how to approach such a volatile and disgusting situation. "Yes! His name's Barret!" Cloud blurted. He suddenly realized what he just said and his already red face deepened several shades. 'Oh gods, whatever I did to deserve this, I'm sorry.'

The Don faked a look of hurt. "No way!" he seemed to think for a moment as he lit a cigar. "Barret, huh? That sounds familiar."

Cloud sighed in preparation. "You know, he's the one you were trying to find out about. You know, AVALANCHE?"

He nodded, and inhaled through the cigar, "Oh yeah, yeah. In the Sector Seven Slums." His eyes snapped open suddenly and he leapt down towards Cloud. "And how do _you_ know that!?" The pervert reached forward with surprising speed and grabbed Cloud's upper arm and jerked him closer. The fabric of the dress strained tight for a moment before ripping loudly. Corneo looked in surprise at the size of the blond 'girl's' bicep.

Cloud stepped back reflexively, and unfortunately, Corneo was still clinging to the dress and it ripped all the way across the front, revealing the swordsman's original outfit, as well as the now disheveled padded bra that had been using to simulate breasts. 

Corneo was immediately enraged. "A man!?" he screamed, "You tricked me!!"

"No shit!" Cloud smirked evilly, now he could do things the easy way!

"Guards!" he bellowed, "Somebody get in here!"

"Unfortunately, no one'll be coming to help." Cloud turned at the sound of the familiar voice and grinned widely. Tifa stepped through the curtain followed by Aeris.

"You're the ones from before! What the hell's going on?"

Tifa's dark brows knitted together and she stepped up to him. Without warning, she reeled back and swung her fist right at his jaw. He grunted loudly and fell over backwards on the bed. As he sat up again, she roughly grabbed his shirt collar. "Shut up! We're asking the questions now! What did your assistants find out?" She shook him and Cloud watched wide-eyed, impressed and somewhat scared. "Talk! If you don't tell us-"

He interrupted her by putting his booted foot on the edge of the bed and leaning forward. "I'll chop them off."

Corneo's eyes widened and he scooted back as far as he could. "No! Not that! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Tifa took a deep breath to calm herself down. "So talk."

He looked around nervously. "I had to find out about some guy with a gun-arm! But I was just following orders!."

Tifa locked eyes with him and her grip tightened threateningly. "Whose orders?"

"No!" he shook his head. "If I told you that, I'd be killed!"

"Talk!" Tifa growled. "If you don't tell us-"

Aeris put her foot on the edge of the bed in the same manor Cloud had and tried not to grin too widely. "I'll rip them off!"

He made a scared gargled noise and shook his head, looking like a cornered animal. "It was Heidegger of ShinRa! Heidegger, the head of Public Safety Maintenance!!"

Cloud scratched his head. "The head of Public Safety Maintenance?"

Tifa was now completely infuriated again. "Public Safety Maintenance? What are they up to? Heidegger is the President's right hand man, they must be planning something! Talk or I'll smash them! She shook him again and when he was too slow in answering she raised a gloved fist in order to make good on her threat.

He shrieked in unabashed terror, "They're trying to crush that rebel group called AVALANCHE and they can't find their hideout to infiltrate it. Their new idea is to just crush them... literally." The three rebels looked at him oddly, not understanding where he was going with the ShinRa's instructions. Corneo looked horror stricken at their confused faces, wanting desperately to avoid their awful threats. "They're gonna break the support for the plate above them!"

All three of them shouted in anger and shock. Aeris stepped back clapping her hands over her mouth and Tifa's grip on Corneo's collar loosened significantly. Cloud only looked on, frozen in comprehension.

"Break the support?" Tifa breathed, "That'll kill thousands of innocent people…"

The Don nodded enthusiastically. "You know what's going to happen? The plate'll fall straight down and destroy the entire sector and everyone in it.I'm just glad I'm in Sector Six."

Cloud looked at him in utter shock. "If they take out the support, not only will it wipe out the entire sector, but everyone on the plate will die!"

Tifa shook her head, her dark ponytail swaying back and forth. "Cloud, will you come with me? I've got to go."

He nodded somberly, "Yeah, of course."

She took off and was almost out of the room when Corneo stood up. "Hey!"

"Shut up!" Cloud growled, the urgency of the situation just sinking in.

"No wait, it'll only take a second. How do think scum like me feels when they spill their guts?"

"Who the hell cares what the fuck you feel!" Tifa shrieked back at him. "You sold an entire sector to keep the monkey off your fat back!"

Corneo shouted in triumph. "Close but no cigar!" He slammed his thick fist into a button on the wall. Cloud was about to cast a lightning spell to shut him up, but the ground underneath him and the girls opened up and they all fell into an inky darkness.


	6. Corporate Casualties

Chapter Six

Corporate Casualties

The fat dark-haired man approached the large desk where President ShinRa sat, expectantly. Off to the side, another man stood, also with dark hair, but he was almost half the size of the first. The President addressed the fat man. "Heidegger, how are the preparations going?" 

Heidegger erupted with a loud laugh. "Smoothly, very smoothly! I assigned the Turks to this."

The man off to the side looked up pleadingly. "President, are we really going to do this? Simply to destroy a group with only a few members...?"

The president looked down with mock pity. "What's the problem, Reeve? You want out?"

Reeve shook his head, his mid-length black hair swaying with him. "No. But as head of the Urban Development Department, I have been involved in the building and running of Midgar." He said elaborately. "That's why-"

"Reeve, you should flush those personal problems in the morning."

The ShinRa executive resisted the heavy urge to tell the bucket of lard to shut the hell up. "The Mayor's against this anyway!"

Heidegger shrugged. "Mayor? He just sits in his office all day feeding his face! You still call that a mayor?" He turned back to his boss and executed a neat salute. "Now, if you'll excuse me, sir!" He turned and left through a sophisticated looking staircase.

Reeve stretched out his arm after him. "No, wait!"

"You look tired." The president observed. "Why don't you take a few days off and go somewhere." Reeve nodded and left, as he walked down the stairs, he heard the President laughing to himself.

Cloud squeezed his eyes shut as he, Tifa, and Aeris plummeted from the Corneo mansion. He felt an exploding impact as he slammed into the ground. That was the second time he'd fallen hard and lived in the past two days. He wasn't exactly sure how much more he could take. He stood up and realized he was in filthy water that reached up to his knees. He looked over and saw Tifa and Aeris near each other, but seemingly unconscious.

He quickly trotted up to them and gently shook Aeris' shoulder. "Aeris? You okay?"

She slowly got to her knees and coughed up a small amount of water before hastily wiping her face "Yeah."

Cloud saw Tifa pulling herself up, and he walked over and gently helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

She averted her gaze and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Man! This is terrible."

Aeris smiled reassuringly. "Well, we have to start moving, at least Sector Seven shouldn't be that far away."

As if on cue, a low rumbling noise was heard. The three of them looked up, startled. Whatever it was, it sure was big. Cloud reached for the hilt of his sword and pulled a handful of materia out of his pocket. He quickly attached a Fire and made sure his Bolt materia was still secured before he divvied up the rest of it between Tifa and Aeris. The flower girl smiled as she equipped a Restore and an Ice to her oversized bracelet. Tifa silently equipped hers after nodding to Cloud. They had barely locked eyes before a rush of water barreled out of the tunnel to their left. It was followed by a ground shaking rumbling. The blond mercenary instantly dropped into a low battle stance as a huge blue monster burst through the opening.

Cloud instinctively shot a flaming burst at it, and managed to temporarily stun it. Tifa noticed this and moved in for the attack. She sent a nimble heel-kick to the monster's jaw and was rewarded with a sickening crack. It howled in pain and lunged at Tifa. Swinging a cumbersome paw, it knocked her directly into the wall of the sewer. The Ex-SOLDIER snarled and swung his sword at the creature's soft underbelly. Aeris ran over to help Tifa as Cloud was distracting the menace. She concentrated and she managed to form a small ball of glowing green energy. It surrounded Tifa, whose intense amber eyes fluttered open. She nodded her thanks and shot repetitive ice blasts at the new threat, slowing it down considerably.

Cloud, nearly consumed with the rage of the fight, let out a surprisingly frightening battle cry. He brandished his sword and leapt a great height into the air. He brought the heavy weapon crashing down on the monster's head with all the force he could muster. The giant beast howled again as the force cleanly cut into its skull. It sunk to the ground and began spilling green blood everywhere.

Tifa hung her head and hugged herself, "It's too late," Tifa said, hopelessly. "Marlene and Barret and all the people of the slums."

Aeris shook her head and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't give up; never, ever give up hope." She emphasized her words with surprising dedication. "It's not easy to destroy a pillar, right?"

Tifa looked at Aeris and smiled warmly, though still sadly and laced with desperation. "You're right! We have to try." The three of them nodded in determination and began to search for a way out.

Several long and tense minutes of searching and sloshing through the foul water had finally revealed a service ladder leading up to the street level. By the time the three rebels made it out of the sewer system, Cloud wasn't as hopeful as he was a while ago. They still had to make their way through the junkyard before they would reach the pillar and hopefully put a stop to the ShinRa. Cloud looked at Aeris for a moment. She had been kind enough to help him, an armed stranger, rescue his best friend from a dirty old man that could've done something awful to her, and now he was asking her to fight with them against the ShinRa. "Aeris," he stopped her, but gently grabbing her upper arm. She looked at him quizzically, "I got you into all this, so you don't have to-"

She shook her head. "Don't tell me to go home." There were a lot of people in danger right now, and she wasn't going to just let Cloud and Tifa handle it.

Tifa smiled warmly at the new ally and motioned to the junkyard. "If we can get past these old trains, we'll be at the foot of the pillar."

A short time later, Cloud jumped off the last train car and sprinted down the alleyway. He hoped there was still time left. He could hear Tifa's footfalls behind him, and the Aeris' behind her. He broke through another alleyway and was standing at the foot of the massive pillar. Several people were standing at the bottom and looking up with awe.

Tifa ran up behind him. "We made it! The pillar's still standing!

A noise suddenly caught Cloud's ears. "Wait, what's that sound? Above us!"

Aeris looked up and fidgeted anxiously, "Gun fire?"

The three of them strained, but after a moment they were able to make out flashes of light and sound from twenty-some stories above. Cloud strained to make out what the movement was at the very top, but it was too late. A figure slipped over the edge and was falling towards them. It slammed into a few railings before plummeting to the ground before them. It was Wedge's battered and bloody body.

Cloud kneeled at his side instantly. "Wedge! You all right??"

The fat man's eyes were closed and blood began to trickle from his mouth. "Cloud..." He whispered barely audible.

'Dammit' Cloud thought, they might be too late after all. He knew Wedge was a goner, but where was Biggs, Jessie, and Barett?

"Cloud... You remembered my name..." He rasped, "Barret's up top...he'll die if you don't help him." He coughed and a spurt of blood rolled down his cheek, his eyes still closed. "An' Sorry"

Tifa's tears welled up, she couldn't believe it. She'd known Wedge for almost three years... and now... Standing next to her was Aeris, who was openly crying but doing what she could with her weak curative magic to stop it. She was about to comfort Tifa when Cloud stood up abruptly and unsheathed his sword. "I'm going up!" He jogged to the tower stairs and starts climbing.

"Aeris," Tifa started wiping her face of her tears, looking grimly determined. "Get everybody out of Sector Seven, and could you do me a favor?" The flower girl nodded, marveling at Tifa's strength. "I have a bar around that corner. There's a little girl named Marlene there-"

Aeris said obediently. "Don't worry, I'll put her somewhere safe."

Tifa smiled hopefully and sprinted up the tower in hopes of catching up with Cloud. She prayed that there was still time.

"Don't worry!" Aeris called after her, "You let me handle this." She looked over to the bystanders looking up at the pillar in awe and disbelief. "It's dangerous here! Get out of Sector Seven! The pillar's going to break!"

A few people looked at her fearfully as the rest took off, and she smiled slightly, happy that they had listened to her. She glanced up at the figure of Tifa on the tower, and she ran around the corner hoping to find the bar Tifa was talking about.

As she made it around the bend, a few little houses and buildings came into view, but only one of them looked distinctly like a bar. She ran toward it. A rickety old sign hanging above the door reading: "Tifa's 7th Heaven" confirmed her idea.

Aeris opened the door and began calling the girl's name. "Marlene? Marlene!! I'm a friend of Tifa! Please come out! It's dangerous here! Marlene?" After a few seconds, a little girl with dark brown hair emerged from behind the bar, clinging to a stuffed rabbit. "C'mon Marlene. I won't hurt you."

Marlene looked at her and stood up, wiping her eyes. "You know Tifa?" She squeaked.

Aeris smiled again. "Yes. Now c'mon, we have to get you out of here." The little girl nodded, and the flower girl scooped her up and ran out the door.

"Do you know my daddy?" Aeris looked down at the girl, a bit confused. "Do you know my daddy? He's Tifa's friend, too. And Cloud's. Except they fight a lot." She clung to Aeris jacket. "He went to fight at the pillar."

Aeris' heart suddenly dropped, she hoped that Marlene wasn't referring to the man that had died at Cloud's feet. "What does your daddy look like?" She figured talking to her was the best thing to keep them both calm.

"Well, he's big and strong and has really dark skin with a gun on his arm."

Aeris breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she hadn't described Wedge. "I'm sure he's fine. Does your dad fight a lot?"

Marlene smiled. "Only the bad guys."

Aeris passed through the alleyway that led out of Sector Seven. 'Good, I can take her back home so Mom can help me...'

Cloud sprinted up the steps as quickly as he could, somewhere behind him, he could hear Tifa, but he didn't care. He leaned into a turn and ran right into the crumpled form of Biggs draped over the railing. Tifa came to a stop behind him.

He was still alive, but barely. He looked the Ex-SOLDIER with clouded eyes. "It's the ShinRa…" he gasped, growing paler with each word. "They're doing something to the pillar…"

Biggs groaned in pain. Even though Cloud had seen many people killed before his eyes, and even though he had killed before, it really put him back into perspective when someone as young and selfless as Biggs was dying.

Cloud put his hand on the younger man's shoulder to help him up, or at least put him in a more comfortable position. "You're wounded badly." It was the only thing he could force out of his mouth. The arrogant and egotistical front he had created prompted him to say that he didn't care about the planet, but it was his own young pride that forced him to stay silent now, even as Tifa bit off a choked sob.

Biggs remained focused on Cloud, and with as much sincerity as he could muster he tried to speak again. "Thanks." He shuddered involuntarily. "Forget about me... Barret's at the top, and he needs help..." He was silent.

Tifa tried as hard as she could to keep herself from crying, but it wasn't working. She watched, in desperation, as one of her best friends was dying at her feet. Just like Wedge had... She thought suddenly of Jessie, nearly a sister to her, and raced the stairs after Cloud.

The mercenary turned a corner in the stairs and nearly trampled Jessie, who was lying on the cold metal, completely inert. "Jessie?" He propped her up, shaking her slightly, afraid he might injure her further.

She slowly opened her eyes, and smiled faintly. "Cloud... I'm glad I could... talk to you, one... last time"

"Oh my god," Tifa moaned, "I'm so sorry Jessie, I'm so sorry I wasn't here to help."

She feebly shook her head. "Many people were killed... in our bombing runs... if this is my p-punishment... I will face it-" She coughed violently for a moment, and a few splatters of blood fell to her stained and torn shirt. "Without regrets..."

She lay silent. Cloud listened for a tense moment and was immensely relieved to find that she was still breathing. He leaned her up against the wall very carefully, but when he pulled away his hands, all he could do was stare at them. They were covered in blood. The blood of a nineteen-year-old girl who fought for what she believed in, and now she was dying... on a cold metal staircase in the middle of Midgar's slums. He shook his head, trying to physically clear away all his thoughts of regrets. He briefly locked eyes with Tifa before he jumped up on the staircase again. He bolted up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. He briefly wished he was a little taller, so he could jump more stairs at once, but the thought quickly vanished as he turned a corner and saw Barret, grinding his teeth as he fired endless bullets into some Robo-guards that were scaling the tower. One came up behind him and drew it's weapon, but before he had a chance to inflict pain on the unsuspecting man, Tifa shot a fire ball at it that disintegrated it on contact. The noise caused Barret to turn around.

"Tifa! Cloud!" He shouted, obviously relieved, "You came!" They both ran over to him in hopes of taking out the rest of the guards. "Be careful," he warned. "They're faster and stronger than the ones we fought in the reactor." Just as the battle got underway, a helicopter roared overhead, and a figure in blue jumped out and landed before them with a thud.

As he stood up, it was Reno, Cloud realized with a sudden drop to his stomach. The red-haired Turk ran over and set a mechanism on the side of the pillar, and mashed a few buttons. Cloud sprinted over with his sword brandished, but Reno still had time to be cocky. "You're too late. Once I push this button..." He jabbed a little red button and it beeped in response. "That's all folks," he grinned. "Mission accomplished."

Tifa ran over and began to pound on the buttons. "We have to disarm it!" She pleaded in a panic. "Cloud! Barret! Help me disarm it!"

Reno suddenly grabbed Tifa's wrist and jerked her roughly from the bomb and closer to him. "I can't have you do that." His voice was deadly quiet and commanding. "No one will get in the way of me, or the rest of the Turks." He jerked her closer again, but this time he rammed his knee into her stomach, causing her to double over in pain.

Cloud was immediately at her side, while Barret charged Reno, swearing violently. The Turk, although completely over-powered by the larger man, had the advantage due to his greater speed. Barret did what he could at his short range, swinging his good fist at an impressive speed. Reno easily dodged however, since a huge man with only one good hand had only so many pattern options. He sidestepped another heavy punch from Barett, and finally went on the offensive. He grabbed the nightstick from his holster and jabbed the bigger man in the stomach. Since the blunt weapon was electrified, Barret was knocked to the ground instantly, nearly unconscious. Reno smirked again, and was about to finish him off, when Cloud suddenly appeared out of nowhere and swung his sword with all the strength he could muster.

Reno only felt his torso suddenly grow hot and he knew immediately that he had been hit, and the wound was incredibly deep. He frowned severely when he suddenly remembered that he had only brought a low-level healing materia with him. Quickly he cast the curing spell and decided it was time to go. He sprinted off to his right, but Tifa was waiting for him and unleashed a lightning fast barrage of punches. All of which, hit their mark.

By this time, Reno knew that he was pretty much out of luck. He wiped a bit of blood off his cheek, smearing it in the process, as he stood up straight. He grinned sadistically at Tifa, even as she still stood in her fighting stance. "Sorry, babe." he said, still smiling somewhat playfully, "I'll finish my fight with you next time, it's a promise." He finished his statement by vaulting over the side of the railing, completely disappearing from sight.

Cloud shook his head, but then looked up urgently. "The bomb!"

Tifa paled and ran over and tried to disarm it again. "I don't know how to stop it!" She called to the other two men. "Try it!"

Cloud was already on his way over. As he examined the circuitry he moaned in despair. "This isn't a normal bomb."

She was about to reply when a sudden roaring overhead caused the three members to look up. It was a ShinRa military helicopter. A man with dark hair stepped onto the side, and called to them. "That's right. You'll have a hard time disarming that one! It'll blow the second some idiot touches it!"

Tifa pleaded with him futily, "Please! Stop it! You have to stop it! Everyone's going to die!"

The man began laughing cruelly, "Only a ShinRa Executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System. Unfortunetly for you, I don't see a single executive around that would be willing to bargain for your worthless lives."

For the first time, Cloud noticed that he was a Turk; the blue suit was unmistakable. He squinted to get a better look at his face and he realized it was Tseng; the leader of the Turks.

Barret interrupted the other man's train of thought loudly. "Shut yer fuckin' mouth!" He opened fire on the chopper. Tseng remained calm and mocking the entire time.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you. You just might make me injure our special guest."

Cloud watched in unspoken horror as Tseng roughly yanked someone out of the passenger section of the chopper. "Aeris!!" He and Tifa shouted in unison.

Aeris looked down on the three of them, and started to struggle against the guards. She managed to break free long enough to run onto the side. Tseng suddenly reached out and grabbed her neck roughly, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. Tifa shouted her name again, but Tseng cut her off with his laughing. "You all know each other? How nice you could see each other one last time. You should thank me!"

Cloud ran forward, desperate to save Aeris "What are you gonna do to her?" he shouted, utterly infuriated

He shrugged his shoulders. "My orders were to capture the last remaining Ancient. It's taken a very long time, but now I can finally report this to the President."

Aeris began to struggle again and Tseng half released her throat. "Tifa!" She choked, tears filling her eyes from the pain in her neck and her own helplessness. "Don't worry! She's all right!"

Tseng snarled and suddenly slapped Aeris roughly. She fell to the ground sobbing, and she heard her friends shout her name. The leader of the Turks laughed some more as the helicopter moved upwards and out of sight. Above them there was a massive explosion that sent bits of burning steel and concrete crashing down on the platform and the slums below.

"The plate's coming down!" Tifa shouted, the sheer amount of fear in her voice was enough to make Cloud wince and bite down on his own terror for her sake.

"We gotta do something... like _now_!" He dodged out of the way of a flaming piece of concrete that was about the size of a small truck. They felt the entire structure shudder beneath their feet and the deafening whine of steel being warped from heat.

"Yo!" Barret yelled from the other end of the platform. "Get over here! We can use this wire!"

Cloud threw Tifa the most convincing look of comfort he could muster, given the circumstances. "It'll be okay!" He added a moment later as they ran up to Barret.

Barret hopped onto the railing and grabbed a thick cable in his good hand. Tifa nodded silently to Cloud as she climbed in front of the bigger man and latched onto his other arm. As quick as he could the Ex-SOLDIER clambered onto Barett's shoulders. Cloud knew that Barett was insanely strong but he still wondered how long he could hold himself and two other adults completely on his own strength. He couldn't help but close his eyes after the bigger man leaned back the jumped forward. The deafening roar was heard seconds after as the Pillar and the Plate came crashing down, killing countless innocents.

Several kilometers away another person witnessed the destruction of Sector Seven and the plate above it. But unlike anyone else in Midgar, he was the one who had ordered it to happen. The President smirked again and turned to finish some paperwork that was waiting for him at his oversized desk.


	7. The Tip of the Iceberg

Chapter Seven

The Tip of the Iceberg

Their speed was mind numbing. The wind screamed past, as did debris and building material. Barret gripped the cable with his good hand as tight as he could. His palm was beginning to sweat and the additional weight of Tifa and Cloud was taking its toll.

"Goddammit!" He swore, "I can't hold it!"

Tifa had never been a religious woman, but she found herself praying madly to whatever powers were listening. She could feel Cloud's shin close to her face, and she started to feel tears well in her eyes. At least she could die next to the man who had haunted her thoughts for almost eight years.

"The gate!"

Tifa snapped out of her thoughts. The Sector Seven gates were right in front of them and the tsunami of destruction was closing in. Barret strained to cling to the wire while Tifa and Cloud simultaneously gasped and held their breath.

The second they cleared the gate, Barret's strength failed, and the three rebels were sent sailing across the ground. A thunderous explosion rocked the sheer earth and Barret, Cloud, and Tifa turned just it time to witness the top plate smash into the slums. Not a breath of a word was shared between the comrades for a long while. Cloud shut his eyes and turned away from the gate, putting his arm around Tifa's shoulder. She inhaled loudly and began to cry. Cloud welcomed the distraction and did what he could to comfort her. He was about to say something to Barret when he turned and saw the man.

"No," He barely breathed. His dark eyes wide with disbelief and his face smudged with dirt and tears. "Marlene." Cloud reached out a gloved hand tentatively, but paused. "Marlene!" He shouted, panic starting to set in.

"Hey, Barret-"

Suddenly the dark man's shoulders hitched and he yelled so desperately and loudly that he sounded like a mortally wounded animal. "Marlene!!" With surprising speed, he shot off to the blocked gate as fast as he could. He pushed frantically on parts of the pillar and plate, trying to get back into the destroyed sector. "Biggs!" The tears were falling freely now as he started moving pieces of debris that were as big as he was. "Wedge!" With strength born of rage and anguish he threw a massive chunk of concrete out of the way. "Jessie!!" The rate of his digging slowed dramatically as he inhaled and exhaled deeply. Sinking to his knees, he bowed his head to rest on a protruding I-beam. "Goddammit." He punched the metal half-heartedly. Just when they thought that he might be calm enough to approach, his anger gave him a superhuman second wind and began wailing on the cold metal. Cloud and Tifa stood nearby, too saddened and sympathetic to say anything, and seeing this wisdom in staying out of his reach.. "God damn it!!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs, his good fist smashed into the metal, tearing at the skin of his knuckles. "Dammit!" Again he hit the metal. His left hand was bleeding freely. "Damn it all to hell!!" He finally stopped his tirade but the emotions within him were still not pacified. "What the hell is it all for!?" He let out an inhuman scream of sheer emotion that echoed loudly off the debris and alleyways.

Cloud, unable to stand by any longer, slowly moved to his side, and Tifa mimicked him. "Barret, let's move away from here" Tifa said gently, afraid to upset him further.

He shot to his feet and jammed a clip of ammunition into his gun. Irate, he emptied the bullets at the pile of scrap metal in front of him. He continued firing. He swept over the wreckage until the weapon ceased to fire. The ammunition clip was empty and discarded shells littered the ground at his feet. The large man let out another inhuman howl of burning rage and grief. His only daughter... his friends... his makeshift family and his comrades... they were all gone. Forever. His knees gave out underneath him. "Barret!" He barely heard the youth beside him. "Barret, stop. Please stop, Barret." He heard the gentle voice of Tifa... at least she was still with him. She was like a little sister and he loved her as family. Tifa was all he had.

He turned his head to her, eyes still wet. "Tifa...they're gone."

She reached out and touched her hand to skin on his face. "It's okay. I'm here. Cloud's here, too. We'll figure everything out." Cloud, feeling embarrassed and suddenly closer to the two rebels, put a supportive hand on Barret's shoulder.

"God damn." He muttered, and let his bloody fist hit the ground. "Marlene." Barett whispered again from his seat on a piece of loose metal.

Tifa wrung her hands nervously, a habit she had picked up recently. "Barret? Marlene is... I think Marlene is safe."

He looked up slowly and turned towards her. "What?" He was brimming with hope and even Cloud found himself hopeful.

The young martial artist continued. "Right before they took Aeris, she said 'don't worry, she's all right.' Before we fought Reno, I had asked her to find Marlene."

Barret bolted to his feet. "Really?" He stuttered, barely able to keep his voice steady.

"But..." Tifa turned away, her eyes tearing up again. Her family... her friends... her comrades.

Barret understood. "Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie."

Cloud sighed. "All three of them were on the pillar when it fell."

A bit of the old Barret returned when he snapped irritably, "Think I don't know that?" He turned his back to them. "But we all fought together; as comrades."

Cloud was suddenly amazed at how close he felt to the older man suddenly. With Barret's last comment he suddenly realized how the older man felt. Cloud knew he loved his daughter, but now he could see Sector Seven's collapse through Barret's eyes. He somehow felt as if he was able to feel everything Barret could, and he felt sympathy growing in his chest. They, all three of them, had survived something terrible, and by doing so, they now shared a comradery that would never shatter. He had never felt this close to anybody. He secretly loved Tifa for so many years and even though they were only friends, he felt a deep connection between them. Now Cloud felt his sympathy building for Barret and the cocky attitude he always pulled with him was beginning to fade. They were comrades, and they would fight and survive together. At that moment, the young ex-SOLDIER felt the three of them could take on the world alone, and they would have to do exactly that.

"I don't want to think of them as dead." Barret continued.

"Or the other people of Sector Seven," Tifa added solemnly.

The rage flooded back to the dark-skinned man. "This is all so screwed up! They destroy an entire town just to get six people! They killed so many!" He shook his head.

"Are you saying," Tifa's eyebrows knitted with emotion, "That this is our fault? Because AVALANCHE was here? Innocents were killed because of us?"

He shook his head again, vehemently. "No, Tifa! That ain't it! Hell no!" His voice grew in volume. "It ain't us! It's the damned ShinRa! It's never been nobody but the ShinRa!" He threw his arms up in frustration. "They're evil and destroyin' our planet just to line their own damn pockets with gold! If we don't get rid of them, they're gonna kill this planet!" He whirled to face her. "Our fight ain't never gonna be over 'til we get rid of them!"

"I don't know." She turned to look at him.

"What don't you know!?" His voice grew angrier. "You don't believe me?"

"It's not that," she amended. "I'm not sure about me. My feelings."

Barret, frustrated, turned to Cloud. "An' what about you?"

The young man didn't reply, but simply left towards the gate to Sector Six.

"Yo!" He turned back to Tifa. "Where's he think he's going?"

Tifa's hand shot to her forehead. "Oh! Aeris!"

"Oh yeah, that girl. What's her deal?"

Her amber eyes looked pained for a split second before she answered vaguely. "I don't really know... but she's the one I left Marlene with.

"Damn. Marlene!" He moved after Cloud's retreating form, but not before he shot a glance back to the girl. "Tifa, there ain't no turnin' back now." She started to follow him as well, but she gave one last pained look at the Sector Seven she hoped to never see again. She trotted after Barret and Cloud hoping to solve some questions.

Guilt.

That was Cloud's main emotion at the time. He tried so hard to be stoic and detached, but his attempts had failed sorely. He let them take Aeris, and after Barret's breakdown, how could he not feel guilt? He never imaged what the older man would look like full of despair and grief, and he never wanted to see it again. Tifa had been crushed by the loss of her comrades and Cloud didn't even deserve to be near her, but he had seen her cry. Aeris' tears of pain... and the tears of loss that Tifa and Barret shared... he hated himself beyond words. It was his fault. He was unable to do anything.

"Cloud!"

He turned to see Barett and Tifa run up to him. The former AVALANCHE leader did not meet his eyes. "Take me to Marlene."

"Are you going to help Aeris?" Tifa looked at him, still shaken.

"Yeah... But before that, there's something I want to know."

"What is it?"

"It's about the Ancients." He admitted. He was about to clarify further when, for a split second, his vision went white and powerful echo raced through his mind.

In my veins courses the blood of the Ancients. I alone am the rightful heir to this planet!

It stopped as suddenly as it had started but it left Cloud with a feeling of oblivion, then suddenly, like an old memory, nearly gone, something resurfaced. "Sephiroth..." Still unstable, the young man stumbled forward and fell to his knees.

Tifa stepped up quickly, with a supportive arm on his shoulders. "Are you all right?"

Barret, slightly less emotional, voiced his own concern. "Pull it together, man!"

He wobbled to his feet, turning red from the closeness he and Tifa shared. "There's one other thing. Can I think of you as friends? After I failed at the pillar?"

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Cloud, we've always been friends." Her heart skipped a beat, even in the midst of so much destruction, his hopeful stare was sending shivers up her spine. "Of course you can think of me as your friend. The pillar wasn't your fault."

Barret, dropping his tough-act for once, also agreed. "You did all you could, kid. We all did. Yer a pain in the ass, sometimes, but I still consider you a friend. You can do the same for me."

The walk to Aeris' house was short, but painful. The three remaining members of AVALANCHE passed many people who heard the explosions or saw the actual collapse of the pillar. The residents of Midgar were shaken badly and the very person they looked to for help was the very source of the problem. They walked in silence, Cloud leading the way. Aeris' house, nestled in the cozy corner behind a weapons trailer, looked appealing and inviting from the outside, but Cloud sensed a certain chill to the dark wood frame. He apprehensively made his way to the front door and knocked tentatively. The older woman, Elmyra, answered the door. She seemed welcoming, but very sad.

She already knew.

Elmyra ushered the three rag-tags into her kitchen and placed a kettle of water on the stove for tea. "Cloud, was it?" She turned to look at the young man standing awkwardly next to her table.

"Yes. Cloud Strife." He said politely, not wanting to appear rude to Aeris' obviously worried mother.

She smiled thinly. "It's about Aeris, isn't it?"

The young man nodded grimly. "Sorry. The ShinRa have her.

"I know," she wrung her hands is worry. "They took her from here." She seemed resigned and very much aware of Aeris' current danger.

Cloud's blonde eyebrows furrowed. "They were here?"

"That's what she wanted."

He could not keep his next inquiry silent any longer. The question had bothered him greatly. "Why is the ShinRa after Aeris?"

The older woman turned around, obviously troubled. "Aeris is an Ancient. The sole survivor of a lost race."

Barret's leaned forward in interest and confusion, "But aren't you her mother?"

Elmyra shook her head sadly, her graying hair, woven into a loose bun, swayed slightly. "I'm not her real mother," she sighed, "Oh… it must have been fifteen years ago, during the war." Judging by the concerned looks on the faces of the three in front of her, she decided to continue. "My husband was sent to the front. To some far away place called Wutai." The kettle started to whistle, so she moved it off the burner and went to retrieve some coffee mugs. She selected a set of four simply decorated cups and poured the tea into each. "One day, I went to the train station because I had got a letter saying he was coming home on leave. I wanted to see him so badly, but he didn't arrive home on the scheduled day, or the day after." She handed Tifa a white mug adorned with a painting of a rose, Cloud received a mug with bright chrysanthemums, and Barret was left with a cup that had white lilies painted on the handle. "My husband never came back. I had wondered if something happened to him. But I was certain his leave was just canceled so I went to the station every day. Then, one day I saw a woman lying on the steps to the platform, and a little girl next to her crying. I ran over to try and help, the poor girl was nearly hysterical and the mother was not going to last long. You used to see this sort of thing a lot during the war." The silence from the younger people in front of her was thick, and they seemed very drawn into her story. "Her last words were: 'Please take Aeris somewhere safe'. My husband never returned and I had no children. I was lonely, so I decided to take her home with me. Aeris and I became close very quickly. That child loved to talk. She used to talk to me about everything. She told me she escaped from some sort of research laboratory somewhere, and that her mother had already returned to the Planet, so she wasn't lonely… and many other things."

Barret handled his mug carefully as he set it down on the dark wood table. "Returned to the Planet?"

The older woman nodded. "I didn't know what she meant. I asked if she meant like a star in the sky, but she said it was this Planet. She was a mysterious child in many ways."

"How else was she unique?" Tifa asked, decided at the last second that 'unique' would be a less offensive choice for 'different'.

"One day," Elmyra answered, "She walked down the stairs while I was reading the paper, and told me not to cry. She just blurted it out all of a sudden. When I asked if something had happened she said that someone dear to me had just died. She told me that his spirit was coming to see me, but he already returned to the planet. At that time, I didn't believe her, but…" She paused, old pain visibly resurfacing. "Several days later… we received notice that my husband had died in combat."

The AVALANCHE members sat in disbelief and empathy. "I'm sorry you went through that." Tifa offered meekly.

Elmyra smiled sadly, but warmly. "That's how it was. A lot had happened, but we were happy. Well, until the day that the ShinRa found her. The leader of that elite assassination organization, Tseng, came to our house. He asked me to return Aeris, and that they've been looking for her for a long time. Despite what he was asking, I knew he was good man working for bad people." Cloud scoffed, winning a death-glare from Tifa. Elmyra didn't seem to hear him. "He always told me that Aeris was a special child, that she was an Ancient. He said that Aeris could make all the people in the slums happy by leading the ShinRa to the Promised Land, something that the Ancients had the innate ability to do. Aeris always denied it, and Tseng would leave, only to come back the next week and ask again. Sometimes he asked if she ever heard voices, but Aeris denied that, too. I knew, though. I knew about her powers. She tried so hard to hide it, so I acted as though I never noticed."

Cloud ran a hand through his unkempt blond hair. "It's amazing how she's avoided the ShinRa and the Turks for all these years."

Tifa, her chin resting on her hand, made an expression of confusion. "But why now?"

"She brought a little girl here with her. On the way, Tseng caught them and Aeris cooperated in exchange for the little girl's safety." Elmyra replied.

Barret's eyes widened. "Marlene! Aeris got captured because of Marlene?" When he noticed Elmyra's questioning gaze, he averted his eyes. "I'm sorry, Marlene is my daughter. I'm really sorry."

The woman appeared shocked for a moment, before suddenly becoming very angry. "You're her father? How in the world can you leave a child alone like that!?"

Cloud and Tifa looked at Barret, unconsciously interested in his reaction. "Please, don't start with that." He sincerely looked sorry. "I think about it all the time. What would happen to Marlene if…" He neglected to finish his statement. "But you gotta understand somethin'. I don't got an answer. I wanna be with Marlene, but I gotta fight, 'cause if I don't the Planet's gonna die. So I'm gonna keep fighting. But I'm worried 'bout Marlene. I really just wanna be with her always." He sighed. "See? Goin' in circles."

Elmyra thought for a moment, but then her expression softened. "I think I understand what you're saying. She's upstairs asleep, if you want to see her."

Barret left immediately. Tifa watched his retreating form and attempted to rub away some stress and tension by massaging her temples. "It's my fault. I was the one who got Aeris involved in this."

Elmyra, thankfully, comforted her. Cloud was so awkward around her anyway, and he was already upset and distracted over today's events. "By the way, Cloud?"

He looked up, his amazingly clear blue eyes refracting all light. "Yes?"

"You and the others are welcome to stay the night."

"Thank you very much." He politely shook her hand and went to go see Barret and his daughter. The stairs creaked as he stepped up them, suddenly wondering how many times Aeris had moved up these stairs. In another world, Cloud knew he would've fallen for her the first time their eyes had met. But in reality, his heart belonged to another. Even if she thought he was pathetic and worthless, he would never be able to love another. No. Now was not the time to get caught up in his usual self loathing and doubt. Not when so much was just barely ahead of him. He promised to flog himself later.

Barret's gruff voice reached his ears as he made it to the top step. He wasn't able to make out what was said, so he continued closer to the room from which the voices were echoing. "I'm so glad… I'm so glad you're all right."

A little girl's voice, Marlene's, piped up. "Daddy, don't cry. Your whiskers hurt!"

Cloud, suddenly reminded of Barret's breakdown at the gate, apprehensively knocked on the door to talk to his friend. He could hear the large man shifting around and the door opened slightly.

"What's up, Cloud?" It was almost impossible to tell if he had been crying. "You gonna go help Aeris right?"

"Yeah, I wanted to ask if you wanted to come." The last thing Cloud wanted to do was force the newly reunited father and daughter apart after so much worry.

Barret scratched his beard. "She's done so much for me. If it's the ShinRa you're dealing with, I can't jes' sit here. So yeah, I'll go."

Marlene poked her head out from behind Barret's massive leg. "Guess what! Guess what!" Cloud never felt particularly fond of children and didn't feel up to playing the little girl's guessing games. He looked at her quizzically, however, when he thought Barret might try to do to him if he responded rudely. "Aeris was asking me lots of questions, like what kind of person you were! I bet she likes you, Cloud!"

Cloud sighed. "I don't think so, Marlene."

Barret smirked knowingly, and Marlene frowned. "Stupid!"

Elmyra knocked on the door frame just then, and the three looked up at her. "Before you leave, you should at least rest up a bit. I only have two spare beds though."

Tifa, who had come up behind her, looked questioningly at Barret and Cloud. "How do you wanna work that?"

"You and Marlene can have the beds." Barret offered, waiting to see Cloud's, hopefully irritated, reaction. The other man didn't react.

Tifa and Marlene got ready for bed quickly. Marlene changed into an oversized shirt, scavenged from Elmyra's closet, and Tifa only stripped herself of her steel plated boots, gloves, and her leather belt and suspenders before sitting down on the clean bed.

As she lay down, she could hear her spine and shoulders crack in protest. Once comfortable, however, she immediately relaxed and listened to the sounds that surrounded the house. Sirens could still be heard in all directions, looking for and helping the injured. Once again, the tears threatened to come. But she held them back, reminding herself that she had to be strong. She noticed Marlene's steady rate of breathing and assumed the poor little girl was asleep. Tifa didn't think she ever become more scarred than she already was, but today's events had proved her wrong. She remembered seeing Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, hurt and dying on the pillar. All she wanted to do was break down and cry. She wanted to wail and sob until her throat bled, but she knew she had to be strong and endure it. For the sake of Barret and Marlene she had to endure it. For the Aeris' sake, and for Cloud's sake. Dammit. No matter what happened or how serious it was, her thoughts and emotions were always dragged back to him. No. She wouldn't be tormented by her insecurities either. Tomorrow, she would prove her worth to Cloud, Aeris, Barret, and more importantly, herself.

The next morning the remainder of AVALANCHE, Marlene, and Elmyra sat around the heavy kitchen table savoring a meager breakfast of tea, bread, fruit preserves, and a few slices of meat. Tifa, still bent on her silent vow from the night before, looked at Cloud questioningly. "You're going to get Aeris right?"

"Yeah." He nodded from behind his tea mug.

"I'm going with you." She mistook his concerned expression for an expression of skeptical tolerance. The look only furthered her determination.

"We're going right into the ShinRa Headquarters; you gotta be prepared for the worst." He nervously twitched his leg, he would much rather not involve Tifa any farther, but he needed all the help he could get.

"I know, Cloud," She said, locking eye contact. "Right now, I feel I have to push myself to the limit. If I stayed here I'd go crazy."

Cloud nodded and Tifa seemed satisfied. After breakfast, Barret looked to Elmyra. "Sorry, Elmyra. Is 'dere anyway I can ask you to take care of Marlene for me?"

"Yes," She nodded, "I don't mind."

"Midgar is gettin' dangerous. You better go somewhere else." He warned.

"I know." She seemed sad, but she had a look of determination in her eyes. "But promise me you'll come back to her. Don't get yourself killed."

"Thank you." Barret's voice was full of genuine emotion. "Bye, Marlene. Give Daddy a hug."

The little girl flew to his arms and latched onto the big man. "Bye, Daddy!"

AVALANCHE headed out the door of the quaint little house and began walking out towards Sector Six. "How do we get to the ShinRa Building?" Tifa asked.

Barret shrugged. "There ain't no train that goes up 'dere anymore. The main entrance is on the plate above Wall Market, though."

"Well," Cloud put in. "Why don't we go there and see what we can climb up?"


	8. Infiltration

Chapter Eight

Infiltration

The three comrades walked towards Wall Market, the sirens having calmed from the plate crash the night before. Barret, uncharacteristically subdued, set about tuning and adjusting his gun-arm. Tifa walked softly and gracefully, seemingly oblivious to the extra weight of her steel-plated boots. Cloud was a different story, his eyes were bloodshot and he had thick circles under his eyes. Even his normally spikey hair was limp with water from his shower, giving him the image of being extremely worn out. He walked on, though, until a figure bumped into him from behind. Before he could really react, the person snatched his coin purse. Another came up quickly and robbed Tifa. No sooner had he grabbed with his dirty hand, the young woman snatched his thick wrist, slipped under his arm, and pulled. There was a sickening pop, and the thug screamed. Not being it the best of moods, she yanked again and was rewarded with a snap and another scream. His arm went limp, broken in two spots. Cloud, suddenly infuriated that someone would dare get in their way after what they went through the day before, kicked the man in the chest as the young martial artist released her hold. The robber fell back, and as his shoulders hit the ground, something was burning inside of Cloud, he was so utterly angry for some reason. Before he really thought about what he was doing, he thrust his wide blade through the flesh of the thug's stomach. He screamed for several seconds, before gurgling and choking into silence. The third and final thug, who had tried to rob Barret, had been thrown into the dirt at gunpoint. Both Tifa and Barret watched in silence, as Cloud had brutally murdered the first. They were very much surprised at Cloud's viciousness, never really thinking he would be one to be so bloodthirsty. The young man seemed to realize what he had just done at that moment and looked up from the corpse with wide blue eyes.

Just then, the remaining thug leapt to his feet and sunk a small flip-knife deep into Barret's shoulder. He roared in pain and threw him back to the ground, once again training his gun at the man's chest. He fired, but the gun did not respond, only clicked oddly. "Dammit!" The dark man spat as he fiddled with the gun for a second. The thug wisely took this moment to quickly make his escape, leaving Cloud's money out of fear of pursuit. "I need to stop at a fucking weapons shop now!" Barret fumed. "Goddammit!"

Tifa and Cloud paid him no heed, she was too shocked from Cloud's lack of restraint, and Cloud himself was busy staring at the blood rolling slowly off his silver blade. "Cloud," Tifa touched his arm. "Its okay; let's keep going."

"I didn't mean to," He said suddenly, "Tifa, I don't know what came over me. He was almost defenseless"

She reddened; his look of insecurity touched her. "Its okay, Cloud." She stepped closer to hug him awkwardly. "We're all at our wits' end."

Barret, as hardened and as worldly as ever, piped up. "You better get used to it, Spike." Cloud frowned at the nickname. "Kill or be killed, y'know."

Cloud and Tifa broke apart and followed the angry Barret through the alleyway to Wall Market. They noted that there was considerably less traffic than the last time they had been there. "I need to replace this gun," Barret grumbled. "Let's go to the weapons dealer."

"Afraid to go alone?" Cloud jeered, still admittedly happy to pick fights with the older man. He was also trying to clear his mind, and pissing Barett off would help distract him.

"You little shit! Hell no!" He whirled on Cloud and the two stood chest to chest. "I thought it would be best for us to move in a group."

"Shut up, both of you." Tifa called from behind her shoulder, she was already walking towards the weapons shop.

They gave each other pointed looks and continued after her. The weapons store was tiny, the three of them barely fit. As Barret haggled over the price of his equipment, Cloud and Tifa discussed ideas for the plate. The shopkeeper's assistant, leaned over the counter towards them. "A buncha debris fell in the alley behind this store, you could probably climb it all the way to the top."

They looked at him quizzically. "Really?" Cloud put in.

"Yeah, go see for yourselves."

They thanked the man as Barret turned, grimacing. As they left, he grumbled about the outrageous pricing, and began bolting the new gun to his arm. "So, what's the plan, Spike?"

Cloud bristled at his new nickname, but responded snidely, "There's debris back here." He turned the corner, and sure enough, there was stacks of debris piled all the way to the plate.

The two men scanned the pile all the way up; as they opened their mouths to comment on the difficulty of the climb, they saw Tifa hoist herself up onto the foundation of concrete boulders and begin the ascent. They hurried forward to catch up with her as she nimbly picked her way up the tower of fallout. The going was ponderously slow, their path was obscured by horrid leaps of faith with hundreds of feet of nothing underneath, seemingly stable I-beams that tottered wildly when stood on, and the occasional loose chunk of city that fell off the tower with any amount of weight. More than once, one of them had stepped on something only to have it rumble madly and fall from it's place, bouncing frantically down the tower while the unlucky one who stepped on it threw themselves off it as fast as humanly possible.

For Cloud, the climb was a huge test on his stamina and reflexes, and he knew that the other two must be having a horrendously difficult time. Cloud's exposure to liquid Mako during his SOLDIER initiation had made him almost superhuman in strength and if he was having difficulty, Tifa and Barret must surely be nearing their limits. Tifa wordlessly picked her way behind Cloud, not once opening her mouth to complain or even comment on the physical difficulty of the trek. Barret, as usual, was a different story. Without admitting that he was exhausted he complained and cursed about anything he could think of: Midgar being built so damn tall, the ShinRa blasting the plate, how a steel cable had just cut his hand, how the air was muggy and making him too sweaty to grab anything without slipping, his gun arm getting in the way, Cloud being too strong, his old age- anything he could think of. He lagged behind the other two, who were ignoring him, but not effectively enough to get him to quiet down. He was especially slow because he only had one good hand to work with.

It took them the better part of two hours to finally break through the surface of the plate, and they took a much needed break, panting and sweating behind some industrial tubing in front of the main ShinRa Headquarters. "Damn, man." Barret breathed, looking up from their spot, "I haven't seen the sky in so long."

Tifa nodded, following his gaze. "I know what you mean."

Cloud was about to say something when he realized that he couldn't remember when he last saw the sky either. Just before he came to Midgar, probably. But when was that? How long _had_ he been in Midgar? He suddenly couldn't remember. A splitting force ripped through his mind. He gripped his temples in pain and sank to his knees. Tifa immediately rushed to his side, worry written all over her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he grunted as he stood and brushed himself off.

Barret ignored his mental episode, and looked at the huge ShinRa building. "Hey, you oughta know this place pretty well, huh?"

"No," Cloud answered, "This is the first time I've been to the headquarters."

"I heard about this place before, we were planning on bombing it when I took over for AVALANCHE, but Jessie and the others were against it. Too many paper pushers and not enough evil decision-makers, they said," he said with a heavy sigh, "Every floor above the 60th is special and not easy to get to, even for employees. I bet everything that's where they took Aeris." He looked around, scoping out the security positions of the guards. "The security's pretty light now, let's move, now's our chance." He started to move forward, but Tifa grabbed his arm.

"Wait, you're not actually going to walk right through the front door, are you?" She furrowed her brows in disbelief.

"Well, what's it look like, Tifa?" he rolled his eyes impatiently, "I'm gonna kick some ShinRa ass, and-"

"Through the main entrance?" she almost shouted incredulously, "Barret are you insane? They'll kill you before we even find Aeris!"

"There ain't no other way!"

Cloud tried to calm them both down, he noticed with a panic that one of the security guards was about to make rounds past their hiding spot. "You guys, shut up, someone's coming!" he hissed, waving an arm to silence them. They tensely waited for the guard to pass and when he was finally out of ear shot, Cloud turned to Tifa and Barret. "How else can we get it?"

The stairs.

"Oh yeah," Cloud shook his head. "There are stairs over here somewhere. It's a maintenance entrance or something."

They both looked at him oddly but followed him down an adjacent alley, making a wide circle to avoid the scanning eyes of the semi-alert guards. Sure enough there was an unlocked door that led to a staircase. Cloud peered up between the flights, but couldn't distinguish the top

Barret frowned, "Yo, are we really gonna take these all the way to the top? How far d'ya think they go?"

"Well," Tifa sighed, "We've got to get to Aeris to help her somehow. At least they lead up."

"Talk about out of the way," the dark man groaned.

"I don't have time to argue with you, I'm going." Tifa spat, tired of fighting with him and strode off determinedly up the first flight of steps and began climbing them swiftly.

"Yo, Tifa! Don't go off alone!" He followed her, taking the stairs two at a time. Cloud jogged forward after the other two. With all of them at a running pace, it wasn't long before Barret was breathing heavily and had started climbing back at a normal one-step-at-a-time pace. "Don't know why the hell we gotta climb all these god damned stairs," he gasped between his labored breathing.

Cloud, ahead of the other two, was still climbing at quickly. "Because we don't want to start a commotion until we've saved Aeris." He frowned, the added, "I doubt that's possible though, I bet this place has security cameras in their friggin' bathrooms." Barret snickered to himself, annoying Cloud further. "Knock it off. You're giving me the creeps."

Through his breathing, Barret managed a smug smile. "So even you'll fight for someone else. I had you figured wrong I guess."

Cloud didn't see Tifa's hurt face, but kept looking straight ahead. "Who cares what you figured."

"I'm just sayin' mebbe I was wrong. Maybe you're not some freaky-headed punk-ass kid with his head in his ass." Tifa laughed despite her hurt feelings; Barret had actually admitted he was wrong under his insult, she supposed that maybe there were first times for everything.

Cloud continued jumping up the stairs, leaving a good sized gap between he and Tifa, and Barret behind her. "What's so funny, Tifa?"

"Nothing," she lied through a fading smile.

Barret had taken to whining to pass the time after a few minutes. "How much farther do these stairs go on?"

Tifa sighed, also beginning to breath heavily. "Why don't you ask them?"

"It's not one of them endless stairways or somethin', d'ya think?"

"Of course not!" Tifa shouted in annoyance. "Where the hell have you heard of an endless staircase? Honestly!" He could be such a kid sometimes.

"Right. Couldn't be that, could it? Are we there yet?"

"Not yet." Cloud grumbled.

"There yet?" he pressed again a few flights later.

"I said not yet!"

They were all silent for another pair of flights, but then Barret wheezed, "Yo-"

Tifa almost turned around to slap him; he was being so obnoxious. "Look, don't even ask! We're way, way, way, way far away from being there, ok!?"

Barret stopped climbing for a moment. "Damn, man! I've had it! I'm going back!"

"And take just as long going down as you did coming up?" Tifa's own calves were burning, and her lungs wanted to explode, but she kept moving upwards. Barret didn't reply, but he stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

"C'mon, Barret. Pull it together!" Tifa called.

"Yeah, well all I know is I'm just flesh 'n' blood... 'cept for this arm of mine. Don't treat me like I'm some ex-member of SOLDIER or somethin'!" he shouted in defense.

"What about me?" she shot back, "I'm human too! Oh, do what you want, I'm going on!" Even as she said this, she stopped to lean against the hand rail to breath for a moment. Cloud stopped and waited for them.

"Yo, what floor is this?"

"I gave up counting." Tifa admitted, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Why they gotta build these buildings so damn tall? That ShinRa, they're just no damn good." Tifa didn't reply. Barret followed her, wheezing the entire way. Sweat was pouring down his dark forehead, and his chest was heaving up and down. "Man, I'm beat." He feigned praying for a moment. "Marlene, Daddy wanted to see your face one more time."

Tifa, now thoroughly annoyed, stopped to glare at him. "Would you stop acting like a retard and climb? It's just a bit more! I hope." They wheeled around to the next flight of stairs, and almost directly into Cloud, who was standing impatiently in front of a door.

"F-finally m-made it..." Barret wheezed. "N-never wanna see... no more fucking stairs the rest of my life."

"This really takes it out of you." Tifa panted, wondering for a moment how Cloud wasn't dripping with sweat. "But this is it. We'd better get ready." The blonde man opened the door and walked out nonchalantly, followed by Tifa and then Barret. Across the carpeted way, the could see a pair of elevators bearing the ShinRa logo. Glancing about for security cameras, they quickly rushed over and got on. They came out of the elevator on the sixty-sixth floor and, wary as was possible, made their way out and along the corridor. They could hear footsteps moving away from the bend in the hallway, and Cloud took the chance to peer around the corner. The other two followed his gaze and saw a greasy-haired scientist in a crisp labcoat walking casually down the hallway.

Hojo.

Cloud's head suddenly split with pain, he almost cried out, but he managed to remain standing and not attract attention to himself. Tifa and Barret hadn't noticed his grimace of pain and they cautiously followed Cloud around the corner and after him. "That's Hojo," he said a moment later, "The head of the ShinRa Science and Research Department. He's a sick bastard, I've heard all sorts of shit about him. I don't even think people within the ShinRa like him much." They followed the corner and saw Hojo's back disappear into a huge conference room, the powered doors sliding shut behind him.

"What do you think he was doing?" Tifa asked tentatively.

"You didn't know?"

The three of them whirled to see a young female in a business suit behind them. "All the ShinRa bigwigs are getting together for an executive meeting."

Tifa attempted to act calm. "Oh, I'm always the last to find out about this sort of thing." Behind her, Barret nonchalantly moved his gun arm behind his back, out of the young woman's sight.

"Yeah, they don't ever tell anyone, but you can usually hear bits of their meetings in the bathroom, so I like to eavesdrop every time and again. You should try it sometime." She popped her chewing gum loudly. She glanced at her watch, "'Scuse me, hon. Lunch is almost over."

The woman left and the three rebels exhaled in relief simultaneously. "The bathroom, huh?" Barret said with a slight laugh. "We better check that out."

They crossed the hallway and found the bathrooms, and they discovered that they were unisex restrooms. They were all a little thankful, wondering how they might explain an embarrassing situation. Tifa made a mortified expression to Cloud as they entered. "Could you imagine unisex bathrooms in a place like this?" she whispered, "Having some disgusting slob of a middle-aged corporate monkey trying to chat you up in there?" He smiled slightly, laughing at the absurdity of it, and wondering for a moment how pretty young interns avoided such awful situations.

They could hear, as the secretary had said, traces of voices coming from the vent above one of the toilets. "That vent's huge, I bet we could get up in it," he said, standing on the toilet seat and reaching for the metal cover. Carefully, he moved the ventilation cover up and over, allowing him to clamber into the duct. Tifa and Barret followed suit, trying not to think about what would happen if they got caught.

Only a small bit down the duct, they passed another vent, through which they could see a long table occupied by several ShinRa heads in suits. These included President ShinRa and Hojo. A man with chin-length, slicked back hair and a pointed goatee was shuffling through a stack of paper. "We have the damage estimates for Sector Seven. Considering the factories we already set up and all other investments, the damage is estimated at approximately ten billion gil." He put the papers on the table dejectedly. "The estimated cost of rebuilding Sector Seven is-"

The president cut him off, "We're not rebuilding."

The goateed man looked utterly shocked, and stared at the president with a scandalized expression plastered on his face.

"We're leaving Sector Seven as it is, and restarting the Neo-Midgar plan," he said, quite tersely, waving a dismissive hand.

"Then the Ancient?" The goateed man asked, losing all eloquence. "She really is an Ancient?"

"Yes, Reeve. The Promised Land will soon be ours," the president affirmed in a slightly more excited tone.

As Cloud looked on, he was suddenly able to name everyone in the room. Unsure of where the memory had come from he looked at the different faces. Reeve, the head of Urban Developement, was the goateed man. To his right, the fat, bald Palmer, who was the head of the Space Pogram. Then Heidegger, Public Safety Maintenance, followed by Hojo, and then Scarlet, the head of Weapons Development.

"Also," the president said, pointing a meaty finger at Reeve's abandoned report, "I want you to raise the Mako production levels in each reactor fifteen percent."

Palmer perked up considerably in his chair, the lighting reflecting off the sweat on his bald head. "Rate hike! Rate hike!" he shimmied happily in his chair, "Please be sure include the space program, sir!"

ShinRa ignored him, and switched his gaze to the woman sitting on Reeve's left. "Reeve and Scarlet will divide up the extra income from the rate increase. Scarlet, I expect your newest defense proposal on my desk before the weekend."

Palmer flopped back into his chair dejectedly. "Oh, man."

Reeve was busy shuffling through his papers again, trying to find his data on the current Mako levels in the reactors. "Sir, with all due respect, if you raise the rates, the citizens will lose faith."

"It'll be alright," the president sighed, looking at his own data tables. "The ignorant citizens won't lose confidence, they'll trust ShinRa Inc. even more."

Heidegger laughed loud and heartily, sounding somewhat like an evil version of Santa Claus. "That's right! We saved Sector Seven from AVALANCHE!"

In the duct, Barret growled, "That dirty fucker."

Back in the conference room, Hojo placed a red binder on the table and President ShinRa took the cue and directed his attention to the scientist. "Hojo, how's the girl?"

The pale man looked at the fat president over his delicate eyeglasses. "As a specimen, she is far inferior to her mother, the dilution of the blood quotient by her father has made her less than the standard. I'm still in the process of comparing her to her mother, Ilfana, but as of this afternoon, the difference is above eighteen percent."

"How long will the research take?" ShinRa questioned.

"More than twice the speciman's life expectancy, if we are to carry out all possible avenues of academic research," He sighed heavily. "It would be impossible to complete in one lifetime." He pulled a paper out of the binder and passed it down to the president. "I'm thinking of breeding her. That way, we would have a specimen that would withstand extensive testing and research longer than the original, but then we have to deal with an even lower blood quotient."

"What about the Promised Land?" the president raised a gray-blond eyebrow. "Won't this hinder our plans?"

"That's what I'm calculating right now," he said, annoyance evident in his dark eyes. "The girl is strong, but I'm sure she has her weaknesses. We will carry out the Promised Land operation first, but after that is completed I will lead the Science and Research Department in conducting all experimentation for the remaining lifespan of the subject."

The overweight president nodded. "Yes, just as we agreed. That concludes our meeting." The executives stood and dispersed. After they had left the room, the rebels looked amongst each other, and sighed. They were in the middle of something much bigger than they had anticipated. Something in which Aeris held the key.

"They were talking about Aeris, weren't they?" Cloud scratched his head, unsure of what to do.

Barret shrugged. "I dunno."

Tifa absently scratched her arm. "Probably, I don't understand what they're planning, though."

"Let's follow them. Maybe we'll find Aeris that way." Cloud waited for Tifa and Barret to exit the duct before following close behind them. They walked back out to the hall, just as the hunched form of Hojo turned the corner.

They followed him, Cloud leading the way, staying as far out of sight as was possible. Hojo went to the stairwell, and disappeared as he entered the door to the sixty-seventh floor. Dashing up the stairs, they made it to the door before it automatically closed behind them.

Barret, Tifa, and Cloud crouched noislessly behind a stack of crates in some kind of huge cargo room. They suspected that this was part of Hojo's laboratory but it looked far more like a freight shipping hub, save for the huge cylindrical holding tank in the very center of the floor. Some great, firey-furred catlike beast was laying inside of it. It had seen them enter, as well as hide, but remained laying in the far side, apathetically flicking its tail once in a while. Two employees entered at that moment from the other end of the room and walked up the clear glass, Hojo himself trailing wordlessly behind them.

"Is this today's experiment, Professor?" one of the younger employees asked.

"Yes," Hojo confirmed, "Raise it to the upper level." As the two escorts left, Hojo placed his two boney hands on the glass. "My precious experiment." For some reason, the beast in captivity, stood and began pacing back and forth at the far side. A dangerous growl could be heard through the crystal clear glass. Smirking, the frail man turned and left.

As the door closed, Tifa stood and approached the cage, where the beast had sat back down. "Precious specimen? Is it going to be used in a biological experiment?"

Cloud didn't answer her, and scanned the room. Nothing of interest caught his gaze until his oceanic eyes wandered over a steel dome in the corner of the room. The label scrawled along the top of the door sent a shiver and a pang of immense fear through Cloud's young body. Tentatively, he stepped closer, his large boots making small tapping sounds with each step. He continued to stare at the word in disbelief as memories raced through his mind's eye, sending an eerie feeling of familiarity up his spine.

His gloved fingers traced over the lettering. "Jenova."

Jenova

Traitor

Ancients

Death

Flames

A horrible pain raced through Cloud's brain, but he remained resilient, though he grimaced severly. Stepping closer, he peered into the portal of the dome. A female figure… headless… bloody. Cloud felt as though his mind was on fire, the pain pounded. "Jenova, Sephiroth's… So they've brought it here." Finally, the pain was too great, and he fell backwards, clawing at his temples.

Mother

Ancients

Flames

Tifa saw him fall and ran to him, "Cloud! Be strong!"

His blue eyes fluttered open, the pain subsiding a bit. "Did you see it?"

Barret made a confused expression. "See what?" When Cloud feebly pointed to the portal, Barret took a cautious peek inside. "Fuck!" he swore, "Where's its fucking head?"

Cloud groaned, the pain relenting a little more. Why was that thing here? The fire, so hot, searing his skin. The hole in his heart. The blood, the mayhem, the holes in his mind. He was so confused.

"This doesn't matter now, Cloud." Barret said, almost soothingly and helped the younger man to his feet. "Let's go."

The young man stood, shakily, leaning on the bigger man for support. "Are you alright?" Tifa asked tentatively. Worry seemed evident on her face, but she didn't seem to understand the connection to Jenova Cloud had.

"I…" he started, but he couldn't finish. He wanted to tell her, about the flames and the blood and Jenova, but something inside him prevented him from doing so. "I'm okay, let's go."

She nodded, and followed after him, even though the worry was still there. The stairwell to the sixty-eighth floor where Hojo had retreated was unlocked and the three of them had no trouble getting in. Hojo was staring at an identical glass tube, but in this one, Aeris sat, pressed against the far side.

Instantly, Cloud's wide blade was in his hand. "Aeris!" Cloud shouted, before he had time to think. Tifa and Barret flanked him, each ready to fight.

"Oh?" Hojo didn't seem very surprised. "Is that her name? Can I help you with something?"

"We're taking Aeris back!" Cloud shouted, guesturing with his sword. The whole act made him look quite heroic. Holding his weapon at the ready, he prepared to move forward for the confrontation.

"Outsiders," Hojo spat, as if the word itself tasted bad.

"You shoulda noticed before," Barret chided mockingly, his gun trained on the pale scientist..

"There are so many frivolous things in this world," Hojo lamented, not at all concerned with AVALANCHE standing behind him. "Are you going to kill me? I don't think you should. Who will operate all this machinery, how will you get her out? You don't think very logically, do you?" Cloud snorted indignantly, but he was right. "Now, bring in the specimen."

A portal opened up in the middle of the tube, and the cat-beast from the lower floor was raised in. The feline whipped around and started thrashing its tail as Aeris stood and ran to the front, closest to Cloud. Her muffled voice was barely audible, "Help me!"

Cloud ran to the glass, and brought his sword crashing down upon it. The glass didn't break, and only a small white fracture line marred the surface. "What are you doing?" Cloud demanded, whirling on Hojo.

The scientist chuckled slightly. "Merely lending a hand to an endangered species. Both of them are on the brink of extinction. If I don't help, these species will disappear."

Tifa's face warped with disgust. "Aeris isn't an animal!"

"You're gonna pay!" Barret shouted; he unleashed a spray of bullets onto the glass, causing Hojo to shriek in protest. A bright light flashed from the tube, as shattering glass shot outwards, tearing at skin and cloth.

Cloud reached forward, and grabbed Aeris off the floor. Helping her stand, he stepped between her and Hojo, looking threatening. Hojo was pulling himself off the floor when, with an angry roar the feline flung itself out of the cage and pinned the scientist to the floor with an audible thud. Black claws extended, the snarling cat bit into flesh as Hojo screamed in pain.

The elevator in the tube began whirring, and a loud roar echoed up from the opening. The cat-like beast turned its head at the sound, ears pricked. Growling, the feline turned its attention to the whirring of the elevator. The frail man took this opportunity to escape. "Have fun fighting, you worthless peons. This one was created for combat!"

The fur of the beast bristled as it snarled, "I'm afraid he's right, this is not an ordinary specimen."

They looked at him in disbelief. Tifa, after a good long moment, recovered from her initial shock enough to speak herself. "It- you talked?"

The cat looked to her with one intelligent eye; the other was sewn shut. "I can talk all you want later, Miss. Right now, I'll help you fight this monster, he's rather tough."

As he finished is sentence, a mutated monster crawled out of the opening. Tifa was quick, and shot a blast of ice at the monster's left half, making it easy for Cloud to cleave into it. The lion-like beast proved to be very useful in the fight, jumping right into the fray and tearing at the monster with claws and fangs. Aeris was severly weakened by whatever draining experiences she had experienced in the laboratory and was doing her best to keep up with the furious combat. It took all of the young woman's strength to heal her friends and now the red beast when they were hurt. More than once, someone had to jump in front of her to save her from an unfriendly blast of magic. The monster was strong, but against five people it was fighting a losing battle, and soon the threat was eliminated. Cloud took one last heavy swipe at the monster, causing it fall. The oversized cat leapt onto its back, sinking its white teeth into the mutant's neck and holding. The much larger beast wheezed and struggled for a moment before finally falling still.

Cloud turned to the articulate cat, "Thanks a lot. You were a great help."

The feline looked up, releasing the beast and licking his chops. His cat-like features showed an expression of disgust, as if the mutant left a bad taste in his mouth. "No, thank you for freeing me. I have been imprisioned here for nearly month."

Cloud normally would've shaken hands, but he looked at the beast's large clawed paws and realized it would be awkward. Settling for placing a hand on a furred shoulder, Cloud managed a weak smile. Turning to Aeris, he let himself be filled with relief. "Are you okay?"

The pretty girl nodded, her chestnut hair swayed with her. "Yes, I'm fine." She kneeled in front of the lion-beast, and smiled. "I'm sorry I was so afraid of you."

"Quite alright." the cat nodded, reminding her of a pompous-sounding teacher she had dearly loved during her elementary school years. "I'm sorry I frightened you. I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard."

Barret cocked his head. "What are you? I ain't never seen anything like you before."

"An informed question, really, but difficult to answer," he licked one paw as he spoke, "My kind have no name, I am simply what you see."

Tifa also came closer deciding that she liked the strangely intelligent cat. "So what's your name?"

"Hojo designated me as RedXIII, but, obviously, that name holds no meaning to me."

Aeris put her hand on the back of the cat's neck, in a friendly guesture. "Is Red okay?"

"Yes, that will do," he said after pondering for a quick moment. He smiled slightly, his white fangs glinting under the florescent lighting. She scratched his nose lightly, and he remained silent for the sake of formality.

"Now that we have Aeris, we don't need to be in this damn building." Barret noted, obviously pleased with the success of their mission.

"Agreed," Aeris smiled in relief.

As they made their way downstairs, Barret caught up to Aeris. "I wanted to thank you," he said as he followed Cloud and Tifa's lead down two more flights of stairs.

Aeris looked at him, a childish expression of confusion written on her face. "For what? I don't think we've even met."

"The name's Barret Wallace," he smiled lopsidedly. "You saved my daughter."

She followed him around a corner, then suddenly wanted to slap herself for her ignorance. Big, dark-skinned, and a gunarm! "You're Marlene's father? That's right, I saw you at the pillar!"

He nodded. "Thanks," he said solemnly, "I lost almost everyone I ever knew yesterday, but you saved my baby, I love her more than anythin'."

Aeris looked at the large man, tears brimming in her eyes, "I'm so sorry about your friends."

"No," he said, shaking his head, "They went down fightin', I know that they wouldn't regret it. If anythin' I should apologize to you. Because of me an' Marlene you got caught and involved in all 'dis."

"Don't even!" she managed a small laugh, "I couldn't have done anything else. I'm sure you already know, but my name is Aeris. Aeris Gainsborough."

At that moment, Cloud signaled everyone to follow him into the elevator. The space was limited, but they all managed to cram into it. The doors slid shut, and Cloud eagerly pressed the button that would take him to the first floor. Security probably already knew they were here, Hojo probably told them as he left the laboratory. The sooner they reached the bottom of the tower, the better. The elevator slowed unexpectedly, and everyone held their breath as the doors slid open. No one was present, but for some reason, the doors would not close. Barret, being closest to the open doors, took a tentative peek outside. A figure in blue, from out of nowhere, tackled the big man. The two went down in a tumble, Barret swearing in surprise. The bald, blue-clad figure pulled a ragged cloth out of his suit jacket, and held it over Barret's nose and mouth. The bigger man knew it was chloroform, but it was already too late. The chemical had already permeated his senses as his dark eyes rolled back into his head and he lay still. Cloud and the others barreled out of the elevator, ready for battle.

The bald man pulled a gun from a holster at his hip and fired, in one clean motion. The loud sound made everyone wince, but Red, behind them, howled in pain. They turned to see him stumble and collapse, as a large bloody wound grew on his shoulder, a tranqulizing dart protruding from the injury. In the instant they were distracted, a second figure attacked. He was also clad in a blue suit, but he had long black hair that fell across his shoulders like a waterfall of oil. It was Tseng, the man who had captured Aeris at the pillar. He didn't waste a split second and raced into battle. Tifa, who was closest to him, engaged him in hand to hand combat, while the bald one fired again at Cloud. The bullet missed, and they both charged each other.

Red, only barely conscious, used his last bit of strength to throw himself at Tseng, who yelped in surprise. Tifa took the opportunity to land several well placed kicks to the stomach and groin. Tseng's gloved hand shot out and grabbed her ankle, knocking her off balance and sending her to the ground as he pushed the now unconscious feline off him. When Tifa looked up, Tseng was staring down at her, with a black handgun trained at her chest. With the agility and speed of a true martial artist, her booted foot shot upwards and made contact with the Turk's hand. He swore, and pulled the trigger, sending a stray bullet into the far wall, but the opening was all Tifa needed. She leapt to her feet and threw all her weight into her punches. Right, left, block, left grab, right. She fought almost on autopilot, feeling an eerie detatchment to her own body as she swung her fists at the man's chest, stomach, and face. He stumbled backwards, and the distance was too great for Tifa's arms, but she remedied the situation using her feet. She kicked with her right, then brought it back in, and hit him across the face again. Suprisingly, Tseng was not only totally conscious, but he suddenly went on the offensive, something Tifa was not prepared for.

He swung with a powerful right, catching the young woman directly in the jaw, sending her back to the ground. Tifa grimaced, blinking back tears of pain. Her jaw felt like it was on fire, but she returned to her feet, only to be punched in the stomach. She felt like retching, but could only manage to gasp and cough, splattering blood on the sterile tile floor. Tseng brutally grabbed a handful of hair on the side of her head and flung her with all of his strength into the wall behind him. Her skull rocked against the hard surface, splitting open the skin on the side of her face. Her head was swimming as she faltered and fell to the ground. She vaguely heard Cloud and Aeris shout her name, but passed out as Tseng's foot impacted with her stomach.

Cloud had been shot three times, and each time Aeris had screamed. They were non-vital places, his shoulder had been hit twice, and the side of his face had been grazed, letting blood drip down the side of his cheek. Another gunshot had made him turn, to see Tifa wailing on Tseng. The other Turk also stopped, debating whether or not his boss needed help. Cloud and the other Turk both watched, absorbed in the other fight to do much to each other. Tifa switched from her hands to her feet and landed two particularly painful looking kicks to Tseng's face. Suddenly, Tseng swung with a right hook that threw Tifa to the ground as she cried out in pain and surprise. Cloud started to rush forward, infuriated that a man would do that to Tifa, but the bald Turk tackled him. Cloud, through instant-long pauses in the fight could see Tifa getting punched in the stomach. The sight of her own blood dripping down her face drove Cloud into a rage; he kicked the bald man off him, and swung his fists in a fury, landing several. He turned just in time to see Tifa thrown into the wall and fall to the ground. "Tifa!" he shouted, worried. Behind him Aeris shouted the same thing.

Aeris' shout of worry morphed into her own cry for help as the bald Turk advanced on her. He whirled, only to watch as Aeris, very much unarmed, raised her hand to slap the advancing threat. He easily caught her slim wrist and jerked her closer. His knee shot up and met with the petite woman's torso, knocking the wind out of her. She collapsed to the ground, even as Cloud bolted to help her. His sword bit into the bald man's shoulder, but he only grunted in pain. Now, only seeing through a burning red haze, Cloud was continuing to pummel the Turk even as Tseng approached him, and pistol whipped the young man. Cloud fell to his knees after being hit in the temple. He fell to the floor, and passed out.


	9. Captives

Chapter Nine

Captives

An unknown amount of time later, Cloud was aware of someone shoving him to his feet. He stumbled and tried to step, but something heavy around his ankles prevented him from doing so. He fell to the ground, and opened his eyes. The bald Turk was standing over him, his dark glasses masking his eyes.

"Get up."

Cloud didn't have much of a choice and did so with some of the Turk's assistance. He realized with dismay that his hands and feet were bound in shackles, and his sword and materia were missing. The bald man led him around a corner where Cloud was relieved to see the rest of AVALANCHE. They were all chained together, like felons, but they were very much alive.

"Cloud!" Tifa and Barret shouted at once. Barret looked relatively unharmed, but his gunarm had been removed, leaving only the unamputated portion of his arm and a naked silver disk that the gun attached to. Red, at his feet, looked unscathed for the most part, except for the deep cut he had suffered from the dart.

Tifa looked bruised and battered, causing a memory of Cloud's own mother to resurface. Before his parents had split, his father had beaten his mother often and was generally a violent and horrible human being who took out his own insecurities on good people. She smiled at him, through the traces of a black eye. Her jaw had a huge purple bruise on the right side of her face, and there was a long gash on the other side, caked with dried blood. Her bare midriff also showed a few large bruises.

"Tifa! Are you okay?" he grunted as he struggled against the Turk, who simply pushed him to the floor.

Unable to go to him, Tifa only smiled kindly, her eyes shimmered with tears of helplessness. "I'm okay. But Aeris is missing."

Cloud, being dragged to his feet once again, wheeled precariously to face the Turk. "What have you done with Aeris?" he shouted.

He was answered with a rough backhand as Tseng entered the room. "Rude, bring that last one out, we don't have time to attach him to the others."

"Sir." Rude nodded, and roughly dragged Cloud behind him as Tseng led Barret, Tifa, and Red out of the room. After walking a flight of stairs, they came to the top floor of the ShinRa Tower. An extravagant desk took up most of the space in the large room, framed by huge windows, giving a vast view of the desolate city below. The sun, in the western sky, was beginning to set. Cloud frowned. He had been unconscious for a long time.

A large man walked out of a door on the right, and seated himself at the single chair behind the desk. Cloud recognized him as President ShinRa. "You greedy bastard!" Cloud spat, winning a pleased grin from Barret. "What have you done with Aeris?"

"She's safe." he lit a cigar, and puffed on it. "She's an Ancient, you know."

"So I've heard," Cloud growled.

"Yes, she's the last surviving one," ShinRa cast an expectant glance outside. "They lived thousands of years ago, and they called themselves the Cetra."

Red looked up with his intelligent eye, disbelief clearly registering on his face. "She's a survivor of the Cetra?"

The overweight man nodded. "Yes. The Cetra will show us to the Promised Land. You can see that I'm expecting a lot out of her."

"That is a simple legend. You are a fool," the cat scoffed.

"Perhaps," the president admitted. "but it's too good to pass up. Its been said that the Promised Land is very fertile, and if the ground is fertile-"

"Then there's gotta be Mako!" Barret shouted, finished the president's thoughts for him.

"Exactly!" ShinRa confirmed, smiling silkily, "In the Promised Land, a money-sucking reactor won't be necessary. The mako will flow out on its own. That's where we're building Neo-Midgar. The ShinRa's new glory-"

"Fucker!" Barret bellowed, struggling against his bonds. "Quit dreamin'!"

"Didn't you know?" the president seemed annoyed suddenly, "All it takes for your dreams to be realized is money and science." He waved a dismissive hand. "That's all for our meeting."

Rude and Tseng walked back into the office and began to drag the rebels back to holding cells. "Fuck you!" Barret roared as he struggled violently, nearly knocking over Tifa and Red as he yanked on the chains. "I still got a lot I wanna say to you." Rude jerked on the chains, and dragged Barett and the others down the stairs, Barret swearing and cursing enough to make a sailor blush.

"If you want anything else, speak to my secretary."

Tifa was shoved roughly into the jail cell, stumbling forward at the sudden push. Cloud, his arms still restrained, turned and stood chest to chest with Rude, glowering. As far as intimidating the Turk, Cloud failed miserably. As stoic as ever, Rude simply shoved him into the cell as well.

"Are you okay?" Tifa bent over him and helped him sit on the one cot, since her own hands had not been restrained.

He sighed, heavily, and nodded. She helped him untie the small swatch of rope that bound his wrists together. "Yeah. What about you?" He reached out his gloved hand and carefully touched Tifa's jaw, so he could see the bruise better. He was surprised by his own boldness, but refused to listen to the self-loathing part of himself at the moment. She winced slightly, but still managed to smile slightly.

"I'm okay, it's just a bruise."

"Tifa, I'm so sorry." He removed his hand, and looked up to her, unable to keep himself from turning red. "This is all my fault."

She sat next to him. "Cloud, its not your fault." She put a supportive hand around his shoulders and hugged him slightly. "Me and Barret both came on our own free will to help our friend. Aeris followed us to Sector Seven by her own choice and was just unlucky."

He sighed again, sounding burdened. "I know. I just can't believe Tseng didn't even try to hold back, and I couldn't help you at all."

"He's a Turk, Cloud. What do you expect?"

"I expected that they had some professional honor, and wouldn't kick a woman while she's already down."

"To them, I just as big of a threat as you or Barret." She shook her head, still smirking slightly. "Not that I forgive Tseng or anything. Or Reno, now that I think about it." She laughed quietly, mostly to herself. "I'm not having good luck with those damn Turks, am I?"

Cloud couldn't repress a smile. Although his nervousness gripped him inside and out, he boldly moved a bit closer to her. She smiled, her fiery amber eyes warming. His heart was racing and his stomach was doing acrobatics, but he felt better. The guilt and the shame of being captured seemed to mellow, and his mind cleared. He climbed to his feet and seated himself against the wall facing the cot. "Try and rest a bit, we don't know what will happen next." She nodded a laid down on her back, staring at the nondescript ceiling.

"Do you think we can get out?" she asked casually.

"I'm not sure." He went over to the door and examined the workings. Although the door seemed basically hopeless, he did discover a ventilation shaft that opened into the next cell. Taking a closer look, he couldn't see anything, but he could distinctly hear Barret's rumbling baritone, and the occasional soft-spoken Red.

"Okay, lemme see if I understand, Red." Barret was saying. "Aeris is an Ancient, and the real name of the Ancients is the Cetra."

"Right."

"The Ancients know about a legendary Promised Land and the ShinRa wants it for all 'da mako."

"Yes."

"So then if the ShinRa get there, they'll suck up all the Mako, and injure the Planet more."

"Yes, that's right."

"Goddammit" he shouted suddenly. "I'm recruiting more damn members."

"For what?"

"Oh! That's right! I'm the leader of an anti-ShinRa rebellion group." He exclaimed proudly. "It was me an Tifa, and three others. Yesterday in the plate crash, we lost our three friends. And about a week ago, we hired Cloud as a mercenary, 'cause Tifa knew him. When we free Aeris, I think she'll join, too!" Barret sounded more like a seven year old than the thirty five year old adult that he was when he spoke about AVALANCHE. He seemed to be a little boy talking about his secret club than a well-known public terrorist organization bent on bringing down the world's tyrannical government. "What about you, Red?" he asked, excited. "You wanna join AVALANCHE and kick some ShinRa ass?"

"We will see," Red offered in a noncommittal tone , sounding like a school teacher, as he punctuated his sentence with a yawn.

"Yer' so damned boring," Barret whined.

"Shut up," Red snapped, in his first display of annoyance, "I miss my grandfather."

"Yer granddad?" Barret could barely stifled a laugh.

"Hey!" Cloud called through the vent finally. "Barret! Red!"

"Cloud?" they both answered in unison.

"Yeah, Tifa's with me, and we're both okay." He talked a bit quieter as he thought he heard footsteps outside the door. "Is Aeris with you?"

"No." Barret said, sounding disappointed.

"I'm over here!"

"Aeris?" all four prisoners called at once.

Cloud wheeled and saw another identical vent on the opposite wall. Trotting over to it he called her name again.

"Yes!" She sounded as though she was smiling in relief.

"Are you safe?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Her soft voice echoed slightly in the metallic ventilation duct. "I knew you'd come for me."

Cloud managed a cocky grin, though it was only ghost of the one he had used only a few days prior. "Hey, I'm your bodyguard, remember?"

"The deal was for one date, right?"

Cloud and Tifa both turned red, but for different reasons. "Oh, I see how it is," she muttered, morosely.

"Tifa?!" Aeris sounded shocked, and Cloud was willing to bet money that she was red too.

Tifa avoided the subject entirely, focusing more on the large predicament they found themselves in. "Aeris, I've wanted to ask you, does the Promised Land really exist?"

"I don't know, Tifa. All I know is that the Cetra are born to the Planet, they speak with the Planet, and they unlock the Planet. Then, the Cetra will return to the Promised Land, a place of supreme happiness."

Tifa cocked her head. "What does that mean?"

"Other than words," Aeris sighed, "I don't know."

"Speak with the Planet?" Cloud questioned.

"Just what does the Planet say?" Tifa added.

Aeris could be heard shuffling about through the vent. "It's full of people and noisy, and I can't understand what they're trying to say."

Cloud was suddenly very interested. The Ancients. There was something huge just underneath the surface, but he couldn't distinguish what. "Do you hear it now?"

"I only heard it at the church in the slums. Mother said it was because Midgar was losing its connection to the Planet. My real mother, anyway." The springs on her cot creaked audibly as she sat down. "Someday, I'll get out of Midgar and speak with the Planet, and find my own Promised Land. Mom said that a lot. I thought I would stop hearing all the voices as I grew up, but it never stopped."

Cloud, for fear she may start crying, said softly, "Let's try to rest, guys. We may need the extra energy."

Cloud was startled awake several hours later. He wasn't sure if it was a noise, or the dream he had been having. He groggily saw Tifa sleeping, and looked around the cell. The nondescript walls and ceiling were bare and cold, and offered no suggestions for escape. The door, he remembered as he turned his head, was also completely devoid of any discoverable weakness. His blue eyes widened.

The door was open.

He shot to his feet and tentatively looked outside; no one was anywhere to be seen. "Tifa!" he hissed urgently, as she stirred, "Tifa, wake up!"

"W-what is it?"

"The door's open!"

She was suddenly very much awake. Hopping off the bed, she followed him into the hallway. A guard, in a signature red uniform was lying, slumped in a pool of blood, a deep slash across his torso. A look of fear and shock was frozen on his face.

"I wonder what happened," Tifa breathed, seemingly afraid to get too close to the corpse.

Cloud shrugged, confusion evident on his face. "I don't have a clue, but he should have a key card on him." He rifled through the man's pockets, and produced the small card. "Tifa, see if you can't find our weapons around here. I'll go get Barret and the others."

She nodded, and turned the corner, and Cloud quickly opened the cell containing Barret and Red. "Barret! Get up!"

The bigger man's snoring ceased, as he groggily opened his eyes. "What the-" his eyes popped, and Red began to wake up as well. "How the hell did you get in? Why's the door open?"

"Come with me," he motioned for them to follow as he left the cell. Red followed first, with Barret close behind. As soon as Cloud had finished freeing and informing Aeris, Tifa came around the corner, weapons in tow.

Barret happily took his gun from under her arm, and bolted it back into place. Cloud also relieved her from his sword that she had dragged down the hall. Tifa herself slipped on her fighting knuckles, and slid some materia into the slots. Cloud and Aeris also decided to divvy up some materia between them, and Red claimed the remaining fire and poison materias.

Red sniffed the air, and growled seriously, "Something is terribly wrong. Follow me, I'll lead the way."

They nodded, and fell in line behind the large cat. As they made it out of the detention area, Red paused again. "I think we are on the same floor as Hojo's lab. But be careful, I smell blood, and lots of it." He stood up on his hind legs, and pressed the open button on the door with a furry paw, and the entry slid open.

It was Hojo's lab, the cat had been right. Bloodstains marred the floor, ceiling, and the walls. "What the hell? What even bleeds this much?" Barret was never able to keep quiet for long.

"People, lots of people," Red said quietly, still sniffing the air cautiously. "No human could have done this."

"Oh, gods."

Everyone looked to Cloud, who stood petrified, with an absolute look of fear in his shimmering eyes. They followed his stare to a dome in the corner. Where there was once, presumably, a door, there was now a gaping hole. The steel of the doorframe had been warped and curled outward, blood splatter partially hiding the text over the door.

"Oh, gods," Cloud repeated. "Did it get away? Jenova?" Tifa had no idea what it meant, nor did anyone else present.

Red only knew of the monster's name. "It looks like it went up the specimen elevator." They followed Jenova's supposed path up two more stories, dead bodies left an easy-to-follow path. Aeris seemed quite disturbed from all the blood and corpses, but Barret was nearby and watching her carefully, just in case she needed some comfort. After a few floors, there were fewer bodies, but the clear trail of crimson stains was a giveaway.

They followed the blood all the way up to President ShinRa's office; where they found him, slumped over his desk. A huge sword stuck out of his back, it rested through his torso, and stabbed a small way into the ground. Tifa and Cloud both paled after a moment.

"He's dead!?" Barret exclaimed, obviously wishing it was he who completed the act. "The leader of the ShinRa is dead?"

"That sword is-" Tifa started, seemingly on the verge of tears.

"Sephiroth's," Cloud finished, fear and terror drowning his voice.

Tifa held her hand over her heart, very much at ill ease. "Sephiroth is alive?"

"Yeah," Cloud nodded, acknowledging his greatest fear. "He's the only one who can handle that sword. The Masamune"

Barret couldn't understand what they were so afraid of. "Who the hell cares who did it!? President ShinRa is dead!" Cloud and Tifa both jumped visibly when a short, fat, bald man in a suit shot out of the shadows and made a break for the door.

Cloud recovered quickly, though, and with Barret's help, restrained the man. "Please!" he begged, "Don't kill me!" It was Palmer.

"What happened?" Cloud barked.

"I saw him! General Sephiroth!" Palmer babbled, frightened like a small child.

"Sephiroth was really here?" Tifa exclaimed; her eyebrows knit with fear.

Palmer stopped struggling. "Yeah! I saw him with my own eyes."

"You really saw him?" Cloud prompted again. "Don't toy with me."

"Would I lie to you at a time like this?" the older man shouted, obviously shaken up. "And I heard his voice, too! He was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land!"

"Then what?" Tifa put in cautiously. "Does that mean that there really is a Promised Land?" She cast a sideways glance at Aeris. "And that Sephiroth wants to save it from the ShinRa?"

"So he's a good guy, 'den?" Barret scratched his bearded chin.

"Hell no!" Cloud shouted, enraged at something. "It can't be that simple. I know him, his mission must be different!"

They were interrupted by the sounds of a helicopter. They all whirled, to see a ShinRa helicopter hover outside the balcony beyond the expansive windows. Palmer jerked his arms and was able to break away from his momentary captors. He raced outside with surprising speed for a man of his girth. The dark-skinned man caught a glimpse of a figure in white moving about in the helicopter. "Rufus! Fuck! I forgot about him!"

"Who the hell is Rufus?" Tifa shouted over the helicopter, annoyed at all the revelations and complications that seemed to happen in the past three days.

"Vice President Rufus!" Barret yelled, checking his gun. "He's the president's brat!"

Aeris furrowed her eyebrows, still taking in all the revealed plans for the Promised Land. "I heard that no one has ever seen him cry."

"Yeah, I heard that too." Barret nodded, "He's been assigned somewhere else for a long time."

Cloud gripped his sword and ran outside to the balcony, where Palmer had fled to moments before. They raced outside, four pairs of booted feet causing pounding footfalls, and two pairs of paws only causing soft thuds.

As Cloud kicked open the door, they were met with a blast of cold wind, disturbed by the blades of the chopper. As they ran across the balcony, they caught a glimpse of Palmer leaning out of the chopper, speaking to the figure in white as he was preparing to climb in.

"So Sephiroth was actually here?" the man in white yelled over the helicopter. He turned at the sound of the door and saw his father's five prisoners confront him, weapons drawn. "Who the hell are you?"

"AVALANCHE, an' don't you forget it!" Barret bellowed, happy to throw his success into the young man's face.

Rufus' cerulean eyes narrowed dangerously, his fiery orange hair blowing in the breeze. "You've come to prevent me from leaving? Or perhaps to fight?" His voice was still young, and he barely looked older than nineteen. "You know me, don't you? I'm President Rufus of ShinRa Inc."

"Yer' only President 'cause yer old man died!" Barret's speech started to become less enunciated, which it always did when he was worked up about something or other.

Rufus leaned casually against the balcony rail, running a hand through his short hair. "You're right; I'll even let you hear my new appointment speech." He stood up straight, and walked slowly towards Tifa. For the first time, they noticed a long shotgun strapped to his body, he made no move for it, nor did he even seem very hostile.

"Father tried to control the world with money," he looked Tifa over momentarily, causing Cloud and Red to step closer to her. Unperturbed, Rufus wandered towards Aeris, "The populace thought that the ShinRa would protect them." Barret took a threatening step closer, but again, Rufus dismissed the danger. "Work for the ShinRa, get your pay. If a terrorist attacks, the ShinRa army will help you. It all seemed perfect from the outside. Father was stupid, though; there were many flaws in his plan. I will do things differently. I will control the world with fear. There were too many factors and conditions in the way my old man did it." He moved back to the railing, smoothing his white business suit carefully, while continuing. "A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them."

Tifa crossed her arms, disgusted, "He makes speeches just like his lying father."

Cloud, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly stepped in front his comrades. "Get Aeris out of here."

"What?" Barret and Tifa asked simultaneously, surprised by his sudden urgency.

"Get her out, now!" he looked over his shoulder at them. "There's a real crisis now; a crisis with the Planet!"

"The hell are you talkin' 'bout?"

"Just do it!" Cloud was getting frustrated, and it showed in the urgency reflected in his glowing blue eyes. "I'll follow you after I take care of him!"

Barret nodded reluctantly, and with a hand on Aeris' petite shoulder, he ran back to the office, Tifa and Red trailing him. They ran through the office, and back down the stairs. "If we find anymore goddamned Turks, I'm going to be angry!" Tifa called from the rear of the group.

Barret grinned back at her. "Don' worry! 'Dis time I'm gonna kick their skinny asses!"

Aeris halted in her tracks, as they passed through a doorway. "No, stop!" They did so and looked at her, somewhat confused. "Someone has to stay for Cloud, what if he gets hurt and can't make it downstairs?"

Tifa nodded, the threat of impending battle giving her energy. "I'll stay, you go on ahead!"

The remaining three nodded in unison, and raced off down the hallway. Nearly breaking down the doors to the stairway, Barret burst in and began leaping down the stairs, Aeris fearfully in tow. Red was agile and quickly made faster progress then the bigger man. He wheeled down another flight, out of Barret's sight. All of a sudden, the red-furred cat was visible again, but running back up the stairs, the way they came. "Turn around, Barret!" he called warningly, "There's some kind of security-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence. As he spoke, his last few words were drown out by the mechanical hum of a huge robotic defense system. Wasting not a second, both Barret and the machine opened fire on each other. Aeris fell to the hard floor as Barret dropped his support on her. Wincing, she stood and fled back up the stairs to put some more distance between herself and the monster. Concentrating momentarily, she blasted the menace with a bolt of lightning. Circuits flashed and smoke poured out of several openings. Red shot his own magic at the robot, bits and chunks of metal flying into the air. Barret shot a straight blast of energy into the machine's chest, which seemed to do a fair amount of damage. The circuits sparked and wires flew out, exploding the chest and sending bits of steel into the walls.

The hit seemed to make the robotic menace angrier, and it began emptying bullets everywhere. Barret dodged a flailing mechanical arm, and found himself backed into the corner of the stairwell. Red blasted it with another lightning spell, but he couldn't stop it from turning its attention to the cornered Barret and begin its attack. At the last possible second, the mechanical monster was blasted with wave of ice. The joints whirred angrily, but they were frozen in place. The big man turned and grinned broadly at Aeris, who was panting with exertion. "Let's go," she said, smiling back at him. He and Red started down the stairs and she wiped a bit of sweat off her brow as she followed them.

Cloud and Rufus had a bit of a staring competition before either of them spoke. The tension was thick, and both seemed unafraid of the inevitable battle. Rufus' dark blue eyes bore coldly into Cloud's own, mako-infused irises. "Why do you want to fight me?" The young president asked in a smooth voice.

"You seek the Promised Land, and Sephiroth." Cloud growled, without hesitation.

Rufus laughed slightly. "Yes, exactly," he seemed to ponder a minute. "Sephiroth is an Ancient, you know."

"Sephiroth is a lot of things," Cloud spat, anything pertaining to Sephiroth made him angry. "But I can't let you get him or the Promised Land."

"A shame, really." Rufus sighed, mocking offense. "I suppose this means we won't be friends."

Cloud charged forward, sword held high. "No!" the sword met steel, as Rufus blocked the vertical cut with the barrel of his shotgun. "I suppose not!"

The ex-SOLDIER leapt backwards and fell into an offensive position. With his left foot forward, the tip of the silver weapon rested upon the ground. The fire-haired president loaded two slugs into the barrel of the gun. Raising his arm, the chamber clicked into place and he aimed. Cloud shot forward, right foot coming upwards, and the sword tip swinging out.

Rufus fired, but Cloud's mako-induced speed was too much. The bullets missed, and the heavy sword swung and made contact with the young man's abdomen. "Son of a bitch!" Rufus shouted in pain. He brought the end of his shotgun up at surprising speed, catching Cloud firmly in the jaw. The impact exploded into his face, as he fell backwards.

Now freely bleeding, Cloud charged forward again, unwilling to give Rufus and second chance to reload. The swordsman executed furious swipe after swipe, and the prim and proper businessman could barely keep up. Although Rufus was experienced, he wasn't quite as experienced as Cloud was. Rufus was loosing more and more ground, until he had been backed up against the bay windows. Cloud hefted his sword, intending to decapitate the young president. Rufus realized this, and as fast as he could, he flipped out a small knife and slammed it into upper corner Cloud's unprotected chest.

The ex-SOLDIER howled in pain, stepping backwards and gripping his bloodied chest. Gripping the hilt of the protruding knife, he yanked it out and flung it across the ground, spattering blood flecks on the concrete. Cloud was sure, after clamping a hand over it, the wound wasn't really serious. In his furious rush to protect himself, Rufus barely aimed and had only caught Cloud near the shoulder, missing any serious spots for damage. Cloud held out an outstretched palm, and a burst of fire burned to life. Realizing he intended to shoot it at him, Rufus quickly closed the gap between them. The blonde swordsman was unprepared for this action and was punished with a punch to his stomach and a knee in his face. Recovering rapidly, Cloud swung his burning fist and caught the young ShinRa across his cheek, searing the skin.

Rufus shrieked in agony, as his hand shot upwards, clutching his now blistered face. "You bastard!" he snarled. "I'll kill you for that!"

Cloud smirked sadistically, renewing his dangerous demeanor and cocky front. "Try it, brat."

The two rushed into close battle, shouting taunts and curses at each other. Largely, magic was avoided, the two men wanted to prove better than the other on their own strength alone. Gunshots echoed in the damp air and the wind was carrying the scent of rain.

"Hiding behind a sword?" Rufus spat, blood dripping from his lower lip. "Coward!"

Cloud dodged a sharp swipe from the small bloody knife. "You suck with that knife! Better stick to daddy's guns."

Rufus raised his shotgun, "Fine!"

The blast echoed, followed by an audible grunt. "Dammit!" The first drops of rain fell, gaining more and more in speed and size. Cloud had a gaping wound in his right thigh, blood pulsated out of it. Sword-fighting would be near impossible now, he admitted. His right hand burst to life with fire, again. The rain was coming down harder now, soaking both men to the bone. Rufus, all too wary of the biting flame, stood several feet from the seething, bleeding Cloud. The ex-SOLDIER, wounded badly, wondered what the next plan of action would be. His problem was solved as the chopper began to hover close to Rufus. Catching wind of the pilot's idea, and secretly thankful for the excuse to run, the young president made a break for the helicopter's landing support. Clinging to his shotgun with one hand and to the runner in the other, Rufus fired one last shot at Cloud as the chopper began to gain altitude. Though wounded, Cloud was still able to dodge. He watched in contempt as the young man was pulled inside the body of the helicopter. "Son of a bitch." Cloud spat, blood spattering the ground.


	10. A Step Ahead, and a Step into the Past

Chapter Ten

A Step Ahead, and a Step into the Past

Tifa was about ready to go back up and get Cloud when she heard the door open at the top of the staircase. Quickly, she ducked behind a desk. When she saw that it was Cloud limping down the stairs she ran out to him. "Oh my gods!" She cried as she looked at the nasty wounds on his chest and thigh, "Are you okay?"

He nodded and wiped some blood away from his mouth. "Yeah, they're not serious. Where are the others?"

She pointed towards the door. "They went ahead. I heard the alarms go off a few minutes ago, though, they must've triggered the security system."

"Shit," he spat. "This has gone from bad to worse. Things are gonna get complicated." He thought for a moment then looked up suddenly. "Tifa, what floor was that vehicle display on?"

Confusion registered on her face. "I don't know, like, the second or something."

"Okay." He started for the door. "Go find Aeris and the others and meet me there."

"Wait! Cloud!" She made to follow him.

"We're going to steal a ride outta here," he called over his shoulder. "Just go get them to the display floor!"

It didn't take them very long to make it to the bottom of the tower after they had destroyed the main security monster. As they broke out of the staircase on the second floor, gunfire erupted around them. Aeris couldn't suppress a shriek and fell back into the stairwell. Barret and Red had also retreated to the cover of the stairwell. "Dammit," Barret swore, "Surrounded, huh?" He thrust yet another clip into his gun. "Alright, playtime's over for you jackasses."

Aeris grabbed his arm. "No, you can't!" He and Red both looked at her and she pulled his arm a little. "It's just me they want; don't risk yourself for my account!" She looked absolutely terrified and her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

Barret easily pulled his arm out of her grip, then he said gently, "Me an' Marlene got you in here, and I'm gonna make sure that you get out."

A gunshot echoed in the outer hall and a chunk of plaster was blown out of the wall above them. Aeris cried out and Red tensed and turned. Peering out the door frame, he saw that ShinRa soldiers were right in the main doors, rifles trained in their direction. "I hate to interrupt you both," he said, "But this is beginning to look bad."

Barret risked a glance around the corner and uttered a five-alarm swear. With one last check of his gun arm, he was about to burst out of their cover when Aeris let out a strangled squeal and pointed across the floor. He looked and saw Tifa crouched on the stairwell opposite them. She was signaling madly, indicating towards a motor-vehicle display at the far end of the hall. Barett saw there was a small truck on a rotating dais, "She wants to use that to escape?"

Aeris nodded, fear still painfully evident on her face. "We have to try!"

"Alright," Barett nodded, signaling the affirmative to Tifa. He burst out of the stairwell and opened fire on the soldiers in the door. "Go!" he shouted, over the din. "Go!"

Tifa bolted out of her stairwell and made for cover behind the truck. Aeris followed Red into the same position. "Where's Cloud?" Aeris shouted over the gunfire.

"Don't worry!" Tifa yelled back, climbing into the truck. "Just get in!"

Aeris quickly clambered into the passenger seat as Barret came around the corner. Tifa found the keys and jammed them into the ignition, the engine sputtered to life in response. She leaned out the window and shouted for Barret and Red to get in the back.

"Yo!" Barret bellowed, "Where's Spike?"

Tifa repeated her earlier statement of "Just get in!" He finally did so and the giant red cat followed him. She slammed on the accelerator at the exact second the occupants of the truck heard another engine. Barret craned around and saw Cloud barreling down the carpeted staircase on a hulking motor bike. He signaled towards the far window as bullets whizzed past his head. Shooting ahead of the small truck, the motorcycle made a beeline for a huge window overlooking the new ShinRa highway system. Cloud drove the bike through the glass, sending bits of it in every direction and Tifa floored it following out the window.

Cloud's bike landed with a heavy "da-dump" and he accelerated around a curve. He could hear the loud landing of the truck behind him and the slight screeching of tire. Sure enough the ShinRa armed forces were coming around the bend behind them, equipped with military grade vehicles. He heard Barret open fire and some ShinRa shooting back. Far ahead down the road, Cloud saw an unfinished exit. He braked until he was level with Tifa in the driver's side. "Make for the construction zone!" he yelled to her. "I've got an idea!" The truck screamed down the freeway and burst through the wooden barricades, causing Barret and Red to cry out in alarm. He saw with a sudden drop in his stomach, that there was a gap in the road. It wasn't huge, but it was definitely a gamble to try and jump. Tifa looked at him in terror and he signaled for her to keep driving. He just noticed a crane towering a few stories over the pavement with a load of I-beams left in tow. Cloud smiled with relief. He couldn't have planned this better himself. He let go of one of the handlebars and held out his hand where a burst of fire steadily grew. He concentrated on the truck, this had to be executed perfectly or he would get them all killed. As soon as the truck's tires left the pavement he shot the ball of fire at the cable holding the beams and punched his own accelerator. He shot forward as the cable burned away and the steel beams plummeted towards the ground. Tifa cleared the gap. Cloud's bike left the pavement as the I-beams crashed into the highway behind him. He applied the brake as soon as he hit the other side, and peeled out into a stop. The beams had crushed the first line of ShinRa vehicles and at least provided a major block for the rest of them. Tifa stopped the truck a little farther in front of Cloud where everyone was very relieved to be out of the vehicle, especially Aeris, who looked extremely pale.

The highway ended abruptly, and Cloud saw mountains in the distance, through the lessening rain. Barret clambered out of the bed, and made his way over to Cloud, the others slowly following. For a moment everyone was silent, gazing at the rising sun. The sky was open and beautiful, and doubly so because the desolation of Midgar and its slums wasn't able to quite reach the open air miles above the city. As all of them gathered at the end of the highway to follow Cloud's pensive stare, Barret sighed heavily. "Well, what do we do now?"

Cloud's face grew angry. "Sephiroth is alive." He shook his head and much of his anger melted into visible fear and apprehension. He looked towards Tifa who looked just as fearful as he. "I have to settle the score."

Barret watched them both, as did Aeris and Red who remained silent. He did not understand their reactions well. He knew, of course, that Sephiroth had been the ShinRa's prized general in the war, and that he was brilliant and supposedly god-like in battle, but Cloud and Tifa both seemed to be terrified of him. "So that'll save the planet?"

The younger man shrugged. "I don't know, but it seems like it." He ran his hand through his hair, and sighed. "The Promised Land is the ShinRa's and Sephiroth's goal. We already know what the ShinRa plans to do with it, and we can't let that happen. But knowing that's also what Sephiroth wants, but not why he wants it, is the bigger problem."

Barret nodded and turned to him. "Alright. I'm going."

To his side, Aeris spoke up for the first time. "I'll go to," she affirmed, also looking at Cloud. "I have things that I want to find out."

"About the Ancients?" He barely bothered to phrase it as a question.

She seemed to not hear him. "Many things," she whispered, returning her gaze to the mountains.

"I guess this is goodbye, Midgar." Tifa said, not sounding at all regretful. She walked towards the edge of the road and added, "Not that I'll miss it," as she lowered herself over the ledge and began to pick her way down to the free ground beyond Midgar's walls. Red silently followed and slowly descended after her. In the feline's wake, Cloud, Barret, and Aeris also began to gingerly pick their path downwards. The way wasn't difficult to pick out, and it wasn't long before all of them had their feet on solid, earthly ground. It was an unspoken relief, for all of them, to be on natural ground once again.

Red sat on his haunches and looked to Cloud with his yellow-gold eye. "I want to go home. I'll go with you as far as that."

The young man nodded absently as Tifa walked up to them. "I guess this is the start of our journey."

He put his hand on her shoulder, "Well, we'll just have to start with small steps. We're going to have to get the ShinRa off our tail, then we're going to follow Sephiroth's." He locked eye contact with her, "Its going to be dangerous. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Yeah," she nodded vigorously. "But I have a bad feeling about Sephiroth, I'm afraid of him." Cloud looked away wordlessly, and she knew he felt the same. They had both endured Sephiroth, and any of his endeavors could not be good news. She looked at him again, and mustering her optimism said: "I'll be fine as long as you keep your promise." She punctuated it with a playful wink. Cloud rolled his eyes, but he couldn't keep himself from smiling at her.

Aeris joined them after a moment, still staring into the distance. "This is the first time I've ever left Midgar."

Cloud turned to her, "I was just telling Tifa," he said, "Its going to be really dangerous, are you sure you want to come?"

She put her hands on her hips, and huffed. "I knew you would say that." Tifa laughed lightly. "I'll be fine, Cloud. You're still my bodyguard, right?"

He nodded, smiling again and Barret spoke up from where he had been fiddling with his gun. "It's a good thing that we told Elmyra to leave Midgar. It ain't safe in Midgar for her anymore. Even with Aeris gone."

Aeris nodded, causing her braid to sway slightly. "Yes! Mom's always wanted to get out of there, and I know that she'll protect Marlene."

Cloud checked his equipment for a moment before turning to the mismatched group behind him. "Well, then. Let's get going." He seemed about to say something else when Barret pumped an enthusiastic fist into the air, mocking something of an uppercut.

"We need a group leader for our journey!" He jabbed his massive thumb at his chest. "O' course, only I could be the leader."

Tifa crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You think so?"

Aeris stepped over to Cloud and put a hand on his shoulder. "I think it would have to be Cloud." He reddened at her compliment and tried to act like it didn't matter to him.

Barret stopped shadow boxing and looked at her abruptly, wide-eyed and a more than a little stung. "Fuck. Alright. There's a town to the northeast called Kalm. We should meet up there."

Cloud looked at him with surprise. "You want to split up?"

The older man looked back, "We can't have five people strollin' the fields!"

"But we should stick together in case we run into the ShinRa."

"We should split up so we don' run into the ShinRa." Barret moodily fiddled with his gun. "Whatever, yo' punk ass is the leader. You decide."

In the end Cloud decided that they should stick together. They were tired form their ordeal at ShinRa headquarters and he wanted to get them to Kalm as quickly as possible. Barret was still morose through most of the day, snapping at any who attempted to talk to him. After several snide remarks, Cloud was able to get him to say how far Kalm was and he was relieved to find that they could get there within the day. The weather remained placid, with only some thin clouds around midday.

Only an hour or so after sundown, AVALANCHE passed into the gates of Kalm. It was a quiet little town, ideal for a relaxing time. Several people who were still milling about on the streets gave them wary looks. Cloud knew that people who lived in towns like this one did not usually like strangers very much, especially such a rag-tag group of travelers that were as armed as they were. Tifa pointed to a small cul de sac in the back of the town. "There's an inn." They all followed her to the front of the building, where Aeris pulled open the door and asked the innkeeper for a room.

"I only got one left," he said gruffly, "but it should be big enough for ya'." He wrote their names in a book, and handed them a small bronze key. "It'll be a hundred-and-sixty." After a small amount of searching, Aeris collected the fee from her comrades and handed to the man with a kind smile. "Your room's up the stairs to the left."

Their room was spacious with two rows of beds on either wall and a desk in the corner. Being as exhausted as they were, each of them picked a bed and began to settle down. When they seemed finally ready to sleep, it was Barret who spoke, as he propped himself up. "So let's hear your story, Cloud."

"What?" Cloud was in the process of removing his shoulder guard and excess clothing. He looked up in surprise and confusion. "What story?"

"The one about Sephiroth and the crisis that the planet is in right now. Let's hear it all." He seemed surprisingly insistent, and still a little angry about being jilted the position of group leader.

Cloud stared at his feet for a moment, and then looked up. "Okay." He seemed to think about where to begin, but then he started. "I used to want to be like Sephiroth, so I joined SOLDIER." Everyone's attention was drawn to him as he began his story. "I got to work with him on several missions, and we became friends."

Barret's dark eyes widened, "You call that a friend?"

"Yeah, well, he was older than me and he never talked about himself." He seemed to have difficulty hiding the anger and hate that was building in his voice. Tifa had an unreadable expression on her face as she stared at the sheets on her bed. "I guess you could call us war buddies. We trusted each other; until that last mission."

Aeris looked up from brushing her long hair, "Last mission?"

Cloud looked back down at his feet and continued, obviously wading through unpleasant memories. "After the war, it was SOLDIER's job to put down remaining resistance against the ShinRa. That was five years ago, I was only sixteen. I remember the truck ride to the mission point. It was pouring and the truck kept bouncing really bad on the way up the mountains. It was me, Sephiroth, and two other guards. I'd never really seen rain like that, the windshield wipers on the truck didn't do anything for visibility."

"Hey, how are you doing?" I asked one of the guards. He was leaning against the wall of the truck, and he seemed ill. He didn't say anything in response, but he waved a dismissive hand. "I wouldn't know." I had said, partly in comfort and partly because I was cocky. "I've never had motion sickness."

Sephiroth looked up from his perch on a stack of crates. "Hey, settle down." His voice was always quiet; he very rarely shouted or even raised it to normal speaking levels. Even though he was soft-spoken, no one ever disputed what he had to say. When he spoke, it was a command, and you didn't dispute orders from your superiors.

I was eager to talk with him, since I had respected him so much. "They gave me some new materia; I can't wait to use it."

Sephiroth shook his head. "Just like a kid," he muttered.

"Are you going to brief us about this mission, sir?" I prompted, even though I knew the basic outline of the mission.

He nodded, staring back at me with glowing green eyes. "This is not a typical mission-"

"Good!" I interjected enthusiastically; I didn't want to seem reluctant to operate with General Sephiroth.

He just looked back down at me, completely unperturbed. "Why do you say that?"

I couldn't stop myself from gushing at him a bit. I bet some of the other men thought I was a suck-up. "I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you, but by the time I made First Class, the war was already over. My big hopes of being a war hero ended with the conflict. I always sign up whenever there's a big mission. Y'know, kind of a way to prove myself." Sephiroth didn't acknowledge the compliment, but he never did, so that was normal for him. "Say, how do you feel, Mr. Sephiroth?" I emphasized the title out of respect, but I'm certain it was taken for sucking-up.

Sephiroth's stare was now focused on the front windshield. "I thought you wanted a briefing." I nodded, not wanting to seem uninterested. Once satisfied that he had my whole attention he began. "Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning, and producing brutal creatures." He flipped some of his waist-length silver hair over his armored shoulders. "Top priority has been placed on eliminated the creatures, followed by the location of the problem, and its neutralization."

"Brutal creatures?" I tapped my foot thoughtfully. "Where?"

"The Mako reactor in the Nibel Mountains."

"Nibelheim." I remembered the little town at the foot of the cold and bare mountains. "I'm from Nibelheim."

The celebrated general nodded his head towards me. "A hometown." I think he was wondering about something out loud, but we were interrupted. A huge crash shook the whole truck.

The driver turned in his seat to look at the black clad commander. "Sir!" He was in a panic. "Something big just crashed into the truck."

Sephiroth stood with serenity, as though he were about to leave to attend a party, instead of walk out into the downpour and investigate what had hit the truck. "That would be our monster." And he stepped out the back door, clutching his sword, the Masamune.

It turned out to be a full grown dragon. Sephiroth was unstoppable, just like the stories. He was faster, stronger, smarter, and deadlier than I ever thought a person could be. His sword was so heavy only he was able to wield it. He killed that dragon in only a couple of seconds. He took hits full on without getting hurt at all. I was always mesmerized by the way he fought.

He was brought back to the present as Aeris spoke softly. "So where do you come in?" Tifa continued to look oddly at Cloud, but didn't say anything.

Cloud nodded and sat down on his bed. "And then we reached Nibelheim."


	11. The Key

Chapter Eleven

The Key

I remember the front gate well. We stood before it peering through it to see the little town that sat at the foot of the Nibel Mountains. The sun was bright that morning, but there were clouds beginning to build at the edge of the sky. Sephiroth, in front like always, stopped and turned to me. "How does it feel?" he asked abruptly. When my reply wasn't immediate he pressed further. "This is your first time home in a long time, right?"

"Well, yeah…" I stammered, his sudden interest in me caught me off guard. I admit I felt a little flustered.

He flipped his hair off his shoulder and started walking towards the town again. "So how does it feel?" he called over his plated shoulder. "I wouldn't know because I don't have a hometown." Oddly, as he said those words, he didn't sound sad at all. His voice was cold and apathetic as usual, something that I never really got accustomed to.

"What about your parents?" I asked, in hopes of continuing the conversation, even though I was embarrassed.

"My mother's name was Jenova." he said, not looking at me. "She died while giving birth to me. I never knew my father." Suddenly, he started laughing. It was quiet, at first, and it frightened me a little. I had never heard him laugh before. He got louder and I could tell that the other soldiers were uncomfortable too; mostly because his laugh was hollow and bitter and without humor. "It doesn't matter," he finally said, still smiling slightly. "Let's go." We followed obediently, and he led us to the inn.

"Yo, wait a minute."

Cloud was brought back to the present by Barret's rumbling voice. He looked confused from his reclining position on the bed. "The name of Sephiroth's mother." He frowned thoughtfully for a moment before his eyes widened. "Jenova! That's the name of that damn headless spook in the ShinRa building!"

"That's right." Cloud confirmed, his voice tense.

"Barret, would you please let us hear what Cloud has to say?" Tifa scolded as she finished unlacing her boots and climbed under the covers. "You can ask questions when he's done."

"Tifa," He began, trying to defend himself and a little surprised at her annoyance. "I was only-"

She cut him off with an irritated glare. "Okay, Cloud, continue."

Aeris giggled from her own bed next to Red. "C'mon, Barret; it's a reunion of childhood friends!" Barret looked miffed and put his hand behind his head, grunting in response.

"I was surprised with Tifa." Cloud continued.

The town was very quiet that day. Not many people were out, I assumed it was because they were afraid of the monsters, but I couldn't shake away the thought that they might be afraid of us. Sephiroth was outlining the plan for the following day for the rest of us. "We're going to make for the reactor at dawn, so make sure to get some sleep." With that, he turned and began heading for the inn.

I wanted to see my mother, since we'd been out of contact since I left to join SOLDIER two years prior. I don't know if you could call it a family, since my deadbeat father died shortly after I was born, and left her with his debt. That's why she lived alone in that house. Even though she had these troubles, she had always been a vibrant woman, and when I saw her that time, she hadn't changed at all. A few days later she died. I opened the door to my childhood home and stepped cautiously into the threshold. I could see her from the door, busy in the kitchen. I was a little nervous, seeing her again, it had been a while. She must've heard the door, because she turned wiping her hands on a dishrag. "Yes?" She saw me and dropped the dishrag. "Cloud!" She was happy to see me, and ran up to hug me "Welcome home, Cloud!"

"Hi, mom." I said.

She lead me further into the house. "Come, come, let me take a look at you." She smiled, the way mothers do. "You're so handsome!" she told me. Mom ushered me inside where she set to work making me something to eat. "So is that the SOLDIER uniform?"

"Mom, I…" I started, but the words wouldn't come. There was a break, I don't remember…

"… Not really." I was saying.

"I'm worried about you," she admitted. "There are a lot of temptations in the city. I'd feel a lot better if you settled down and had a nice girlfriend."

"I'm all right." I insisted, even though I actually was lonely.

"You should have," she said while sauting some vegetables in a skillet, "An older girl, one that'll take care of you."

"Really, I'm not interested." I tried to persuade her that I was fine. There's another space… I can't remember what happened.

"Are you eating right?" she asked doubtfully.

"I'm all right, the Company takes care of me." I said flatly.

"Is that so?" She looked at me with skepticism etched on her face. "You can't cook, can you? I've been worried sick about you."

I can't remember.

"Cloud?"

No… what else happened?

She turned from the stove, "You know, Cloud…"

Another dead end; more blank space.

"… isn't that right, Cloud?"

Where's the rest of it? Why can't I remember?

"I will always be your mother." She said with a sad smile.

Stop it! Let's stop this… What else happened? I went to Tifa's house but she wasn't home. I was sad. I made my way back to the inn, and met Tifa's karate instructor. His name was Zangan and he was world-famous. I was glad to hear that she was taking martial arts. She should learn to protect herself in case something happened and I wasn't able to help her. I walked back up to our room and saw Sephiroth staring out the bay windows. "What are you looking at?" I asked curiously.

"This scenery," he voiced quietly, "I feel like I know this place." He shook his head, his long hair and bangs flowing gracefully with the movement. "We've got an early start tomorrow; you'd better get some rest." I nodded. "I've hired a guide to take us to the reactor, but I've heard she's young. I hope she's dependable." He sighed, looking overworked, then he followed me into the room.

The next morning there was a small crowd gathered at the base of the mountain range where we would be starting from. It was our small ShinRa group and a couple townspeople. Sephiroth turned towards the people under his command. "As soon as the guide gets here, we can move out."

At that minute, a young girl in a wide-brimmed rancher hat trotted up to the crowd, accompanied by an older man who, presumably, was her father. "Listen, Sephiroth, if something happens-"

The general cut him off with a dismissive wave. "Everything will be fine. Trust me."

"I'll be fine, dad" The girl chided with a roll of her eyes. "I've got two men from SOLDIER with me." She turned to Sephiroth, her hair swinging behind her. "I'm Tifa Lockheart, nice to meet you."

I was shocked to see that it was Tifa. "You're the guide?" I asked, incredulously.

"That's right," she replied, with annoyance. "I happen to be the best guide in this whole town."

"It's too dangerous!" I argued. "You shouldn't get involved in something like this." Which was perfectly true.

Sephiroth impatiently interrupted us. "There won't be a problem if you protect her." Just as he was about to turn to leave, one of the townsfolk ran forward, clutching a black camera.

"Mr. Sephiroth," he quavered. "Could I please have a picture?" The general looked annoyed, but Tifa and I both moved closer to pose, looking at Sephiroth hopefully. He sighed irritably and slowly made his way to us. The cameraman took the photo and stammered his thanks. "I'll give you each a copy."

And then we left. The Nibel mountains were dark and treacherous, like they always were. Tifa was a good guide, though, and she made the climb easier. They built the reactor in the heart of the mountains. The cold air hadn't changed; it was no different. We approached the rickety wooden bridge that hung over a deep ravine. "It gets worse after the bridge," Tifa warned, as they started to walk across. She trotted ahead, and the bridge wobbled madly and the ropes supporting it creaked in protest. I moved forward to stop her when the creaking reached a cacophany and finally stopped when the suspension ropes snapped. She shrieked in terror as we started to fall. I grabbed her wrist and held on to the side as it collapsed. Sephiroth shouted from somewhere behind me, and the other two guards yelped in surprise. I wasn't strong enough, and we fell.

Luckily, we didn't fall far. There was a narrow cliff a ways under the bridge that we managed to fall to. Sephiroth recovered instantly, he hadn't even skinned his knees falling from that height. "Everyone seems to be okay," he said in a detatched voice, then he turned to Tifa. "Can we get back to where we were?"

She looked apprehensive, but nodded lightly. "Yeah, but these caves are intertwined like an ant farm. It'll take time." She suddenly looked around. "Sephiroth, someone's missing."

"We don't have time to search," he answered coldly. "We can't very well go back and look for him, so we'll just have to go on.

Tifa was wide-eyed, but I knew that that's how it was in the army, sometimes. Besides, I thought, all soldiers have to learn wilderness survival. There's a good chance he's fine as long as he survived the fall. I put the soldier out of my mind and followed Tifa into an opening in the rock face. The passageway was narrow, but they were able to pass through it, though Sephiroth had to hunch due to his great height. As we climbed deeper into the caves, the walls started to gain a green tinge to them, and the smell of mako was growing all around us. We spent what felt like hours in those caves, and we would've spent much longer in them had Tifa not been there. She seemed to know exactly where we were and where we needed to go. The path she led us on climbed higher and higher, until she finally turned to us and said, "I smell fresh air, there must be an opening up ahead." Sure enough, we turned and faced an opening in the wall not ten paces ahead of us. We broke into the sunlight, glad to be out of the cave.

In the light I could see an emerald green fountain bubbling out of a fissure in the rocky ground. "What's that?" I asked, pointing at the fountain with intrest.

"A mako fountain," Sephiroth observed. "A miracle of nature."

"Its beautiful," Tifa muttered, getting in for a closer look at the crystals that formed at the liquid's edge.

Sephiroth also came in for a closer look. "Materia," he explained. "When Mako is condensed, Materia is formed. It's very rare to see Materia in its natural state like that."

I couldn't stop myself from wondering. "Why is it," I asked, coming to stand behind them, "that Materia enables us to use magic?"

Sephiroth turned, with mild surprise etched in his expression. "You're in SOLDIER and you don't even know that?" My face burned red, but he continued. "The knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients flows within the Mako. Once the Mako condenses into Materia, anyone can use that wisdom, and anyone with that wisdom can freely use the powers of the Planet. The interaction between ourselves and the Planet can call up magic."

I stared transifixed at the fountain, partly because it was interesting and partly because I was still embarrassed and ashamed of my ignorance. Then, wondering out loud, I mumbled. "Magic. What a mysterious power."

Sephiroth laughed again, the same way he had when we had first entered the town the day before. It was just as bitter and humorless as his last outburst, startling Tifa, myself, and the other guard. "A man once told me never to use such an unscientific term, and that it shouldn't even be referred to as magic." He said, the smile slowly fading from his face. "I can still remember how angry he was."

"Who was that?" I asked, glad to bring Sephiroth's scrutinizing attention somewhere else.

"Professor Hojo of the ShinRa Scientific Research Department." Sephiroth seemed to dislike the man, because he spat his name as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. "An inexperienced man assigned to take over the work of a great scientist. He was a walking mass of complexes."

Less than an hour later we arrived at the reactor. It was nestled in a tiny valley between two cold peaks. The supports extending from the main body reminded him of some great dead bug. They climbed the industrial iron stairs and stopped at the door as Sephiroth unlocked it. "We finally made it." Tifa wiped the sweat off her brow and began fanning herself with her hat. "We really took the long way though."

"You wait here." I said, as I turned to follow Sephiroth into the heart of the reactor.

She looked scandalized. "I'm going too! I wanna see!"

Sephiroth turned towards her, his expression hard. "Only authorized people can come in. This reactor is full of the ShinRa's industrial secrets."

"But-"

The tall general guestured to the other guard. "Take care of the lady." Without another word he entered the reactor, and I followed. We checked several pieces of equipment, but none of them seemed to be malfunctioning. He finally led me into a room with a red celing. The room was lined with huge, pear-shaped pods with small windows in each. They were all numbered and set up in rows that raised progressively, like stairs. There was a staircase in the center of the room that led up to another door. There was a long silver nameplate over the door that read 'JENOVA', but at the time, I didn't make the connection.

"Here we are," Sephiroth murmmered and pointed to a valve close to the ground. "Cloud, close the valve. Why did that break?" He stood on his tiptoes to look into one of the pods. He exhaled sharply and his expression showed severe disgust, "Now I see, Hojo." I turned to him, confused. "But even in doing this, you will never reach the same level as Professor Gast." He shook his head in revulsion. "When it works properly, this is a system that condenses and freezes Mako. Now, what does Mako become once its condensed?"

"Materia." I answered, remembering his lecture at the fountain.

"Right," he confirmed. "But Hojo's put something else in there. Take a look."

I had to pull myself up to peer in, and I'll never forget what I saw for the rest of my life. The sight shocked and sickened me so bad I let go and fell to the ground. It was a human- or used to be. It was some kind of humanoid beast that had mutated horribly and was growing terrible spikes and horns off the side of its face. "What is that?" I sputtered in a whisper.

Sephiroth still looked thoroughly revolted, but he stared at the pod as though it was too terrible to tear his eyes away. "Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered in Mako. You're different from normal people, but still very much human. But what are they, you ask? They've been exposed to an ungodly amount of Mako."

"Is it," I stammered, getting to my feet, "a monster?"

"Exactly." Sephiroth snorted. "And Hojo is producing these things. Just mutated organisms produced through Mako energy. That's what they are."

"Normal members of SOLDIER?" I asked suddenly. "You mean you're different?" I saw his eyes widen suddenly and he tore his gaze from the pod and looked to me. Suddenly, he doubled over, gripping his temples in pain. He shook as though he just taken a blow to the skull, or was hearing an ear-piercing noise. "Hey!" I stumbled. "Sephiroth!" I was starting to panic. I had never seen Sephiroth lose it like that.

Sephiroth reached out a black gloved hand to steady himself. "No…" he whispered, still clutching his head with his other hand. "No!" he shouted, "Was I…" and in one clean movement brought the Masamune flying from its sheath and slammed it against the pod. "Was I created in this way, too?" He shouted angrily, in a voice that frightened me into silence. Again, the sword came crashing down on the pod. "Am I the same as all these monsters!?"

Finally, my voice returned. "Sephiroth!" I wanted him to stop, but I was afraid to get close with him madly swinging the sword in all directions.

He wheeled on me, his shoulders and chest heaving with exertion. "You saw it!" He shouted accusingly. "They were all human at one time! I've always known," he muttered to himself. "I was different from the others; special in some way." He finally sheathed his massive sword. "But not like this…" he trailed off. He suddenly turned on his heel and stalked out of the reactor, all the way back to town."

_Am I human?_

At the time, I didn't understand what he was saying. I was even more surprised that the ShinRa was producing monsters.

"Damn ShinRa. The more I hear about them the more I hate 'em." Barret again brought Cloud's wandering mind back to the present. He adjusted his pillow and laid back down, staring thoughtfully at the celing.

"Who would've thought that a reactor could've held such a terrible secret." Tifa wondered, mostly to herself.

Red nodded his agreement as he lay curled on his own bed, his head resting on two great paws and his tail curling around the front of his body. "That would assume the increase in monsters in recent times." After a moment he continued. "I think we should listen carefully to Cloud. This story seems rather important to guess what it is that Sephiroth is up to."

Aeris, like Tifa, had settled under her thick comforter. "You were waiting outside then, Tifa?" She asked.

The other woman paused for a moment before nodding a 'yes'.

"We had returned to Nibelheim. Sephiroth confined himself in another room at the inn, and wouldn't speak to any of us." Cloud put in.

Tifa sighed in remembrance of painful memories. "Then he suddenly disappeared the next day, right?"

"Yeah." Cloud also seemed pained. "We found him in the biggest building in town. That old mansion on the edge of the village. The older townspeople called it the ShinRa Mansion."

I pushed the door open apprehensively. This mansion always gave me the creeps, ever since I was small. The dust had been stirred and very faint footprints were visible on the carpeted ground. It seemed as though every floorboard in the place moaned with agony as you walked over them, making it close to impossible to stay quiet. The other guard beckoned me from the landing. "I saw Sephiroth go into the small bedroom on the right side, but he's not there, and I've been outside the whole time."

I said my thanks and continued to the bedroom. There was no sign that Sephiroth had even been in this room, nothing had been disturbed. At that moment, I looked down and saw that there boot scuffs in the accumulated dust on the floor. Boot scuffs that lead into a wall. I pushed and sure enough the door groaned aside, revealing a rickety spiral staircase that descended past where I could see. The steps went deep. The wooden walls had long since dissipated into rock before I reached the bottom. The chamber I found myself in opened into a tunnel that ended in a door. As I got closer, I saw that a faint light was eminating from the door, which was cracked open slightly. Sephiroth's voice drifted out from the crack, and I could hear him talking to himself. "… an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a two-thousand year old geological stratum. Professor Gast codenamed the specimen Jenova." He read off a date, more than thirty years prior. "Jenova confirmed to be a Cetra." Another date, then: "Jenova Project approved, use of reactor number one approved for use." There was a long pause and I could hear him put the book down. "My mother's name was Jenova…" he trailed off, unsure. "Jenova Project… can this be a coincidence?" He moaned in despair. "Professor Gast, why didn't you tell me anything? Why did you die?"

Sephiroth didn't come out of the library. He continued to read as though he were possessed by something. And not once, did the light in the basement go out. After a day of this, I went back to the library to see if he had finally decided to eat. As I reached the door, I heard him laughing. I entered and he whirled around, blade drawn. "Who is it?" he called, his voice holding a strange note to it. He saw me and flopped down into an office chair behind a heavy wooden desk. He looked terrible. There were huge bags under his bloodshot eyes, and his usually impeccable appearance was disheveled. Even his hair was unusually unruly. He scoffed and chuckled slightly. "Traitor."

I was taken aback. "Traitor?" I didn't know what he meant.

"You ignorant traitor," he smiled, holding back his mirth. "I'll tell you." His head sort of lolled to the side as he looked at the far wall with glowing green eyes. "This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. They were an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on." He absently blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. "At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land, and with it, extreme happiness." He turned his burning gaze back towards me, and it only just began to dawn on me that something was very, very wrong. "But those who disliked the journey appeared. Those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life." His voice grew in strength and volume, "They took that which the Cetra and the Planet had made without anything in return!" He finished his rant and looked down at his boots. After a moment of thick silence, Sephiroth looked up at me through his bangs. "Those are your ancestors."

"Sephiroth…" I sputtered, starting to grow extremely fearful.

He resumed his ranting. "Long ago, a cataclysm happened on this planet. Your ancestors escaped. They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase." His eyes, burning with green fire, met mine. "Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports." He indicated to the mountains of disheveled books that littered the floor around the desk.

I was terrified of how raving mad he looked suddenly. I wanted to keep him calm. "What does that have to do with you?"

It apparently was the wrong question to ask because he suddenly looked up with great annoyance on his face. "Don't you get it?" He turned away, strangely moody. "An Ancient named Jenova was found in a geological stratum from over two-thousand years ago; the Jenova Project." He covered his face with his hand. "The project's goal was to produce people with the powers of the Ancients- No. The Cetra." He threw his hand down to his side and glared at me with such hate, I thought my insides might have been made out of ice. "I was the one that was produced!"

I repeated him. "Produced!?"

"Yes." He hissed madly. "Professor Gast, leader of the Jenova Project and a brilliant scientist, produced me." He stormed towards the cave, behind me. "Get out of my way." He easily knocked past me and stomped out. "I'm going to see my mother."

I took a few seconds to calm myself down, then I followed his path timidly towards the main entrance. I remember grabbing the door handle and feeling surprised at its warmth. When I opened the door it was like I opened a door to my own hell. Nibelheim was in flames. There were flames on the ShinRa Mansion as well, and above the roar of the flame, I could hear wood creaking in protest as it caved in on itself. I bolted to the center of town, where I called out to a body that was hunched over another. The figure stood up, it was Zangan, Tifa's martial arts instructor. "Hey!" he shouted over the flames. "You check that house, I'll check this one!" There were hurt and dead everywhere. The other guard lay motionless in Tifa's front yard, and the man who had taken their photo was mumbling incoherently, he was bleeding heavily from a cut on the top of his head. I ran, heart pounding and heat searing into my mother's home. I had been too late, her body was mangled under two rafters that had fallen in. The roof shuddered dangerously and I left, too numb to feel.

Sephiroth… this is terrible. Too terrible.

I heard a furious yell, and saw a villager run towards a figure in black with a pitchfork. The figure was Sephiroth, I realized as the pit of my stomach dropped. The Masamune flashed for half a second and the man went down without his head, which had landed a foot or two from him. Sephiroth turned and saw me standing there. I must've been crying because he sort of smirked and walked through the flames to the mountains.

I was in such turmoil, I don't remember the trip through the mountains. When I made it to the reactor, I could hear sobbing from up ahead. It was Tifa, bent over the bloodied mess that was her father. "Papa!" she sobbed. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he!" She slumped forward and clutched her father's body. "Sephiroth… SOLDIER… Mako Reacotrs… ShinRa… Everything…" She threw her head back and screamed in a grieving fury. "I hate them all!" She stood, and picked up the Masamune which Sephiroth had carelessly left embedded through Mr. Lockheart's shoulder; and raced into the room where I had seen the pods. I rushed after her.

"How could you do that?" I heard her shriek as I made my way down the ladder to the room. "How could you do that to Papa and the townspeople?"

By the time I had gotten into the room, Sephiroth had already gone through the 'Jenova' door. Before I could chase him, I saw Tifa lying on the stairs. Her stomach slashed wide open. There was no way she could survive, I thought. I was so scared and sick to my stomach. I picked her up and put her to the side. "You promised…" she whispered. "You promised to save me…" I couldn't listen to another word. I drew my sword and dashed up the stairs.

The 'Jenova' room was taken up mostly by a huge vat that was adorned with a winged female figure. Tubes of varying sizes connected the clear vat to countless other machines in the room, but what mattered most was the man standing on a piece of machinery close to the face of the angelic figure. "Mother," He was saying. "Let's take back this Planet together." He rambled on, clearly insane. "I've an idea! Let's go to the Promised Land!"

"My family!" I shouted at him in complete fury. "My friends! My home! How could you do this to them!?"

He turned slowly, his hair falling into his face. He began laughing, although this time there was real humor in it. Insane, evil laughter filled the room. "Mother, they've come again." He spoke to me, "With mother's strength, wisdom, and magic, she was destined to become the ruler of this Planet." He turned back to the ornament and placed two strong hands on either wing and began to pull furiously. "But they…" the plastic form strained under his grip. "Those worthless fools are stealing the Planet from Mother." The form came off and so did a great bunch of tubing and wires. Sparks began to rain down. "But I'm here now, Mother. So don't worry." The figure underneath was female, but it was blue-skinned and very alien.

I didn't care. "What about my sadness?" I waved my sword angrily. "My family and friends; the sadness of having my home taken from me? It's the same as your sadness!"

Sephiroth raised his sword, laughing maniacally. "Sadness? What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to take control of this Planet. I will take the Planet back from your stupid people. What do I have to be sad about?"

"I trusted you!" I spat, gripping the sword with sweaty palms. "No! You're not the Sephiroth I used to know!" I dropped into a fighting stance, ready to charge, and he lowered his head to his chest and laughed. And that's the end of my story.

"Wait a damn minute!" Barret bellowed. "Ain't there more?"

Cloud shook his head. "I don't remember."

Aeris also seemed disappointed that there was not an ending. "What happened to Sephiroth?"

He looked at her and shrugged half-heartedly, as if just speaking about his past was physically draining. "In terms of skill, I couldn't have beaten him."

Tifa stared at the ceiling, and said, "The official reports all said that Sephiroth was dead. It was in all the papers."

"But ShinRa owns all the papers," Aeris pointed out, "So you can't rely on that information."

"I want to know the truth," Cloud said in a hushed voice, "I want to know what happened. I challenged Sephiroth and lived. Why didn't he kill me?"

"I lived, too," added Tifa.

"It seems," Aeris agreed, "That a lot of this doesn't make sense. What about Jenova? It was in the ShinRa building, wasn't it?" She didn't know why, but she felt a mysterious apprehension and fear when she had heard about Jenova. Sephiroth on his own seemed worrisome enough, but she couldn't help but feel that Jenova wasn't simply a passive factor.

Cloud ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "It was shipped from Nibelheim to Midgar after the incident."

"How did it get out?" she mused.

"Sephiroth…" Tifa trailed off.

There was silence again, and as always, it was Barret who broke it. "Damn!" he burst out, throwing his good hand up in frustration. "Don't none of this make sense! I'm going, going, going, than _bang_! I'm gone! I'll leave the thinking to you."

Cloud smiled weakly and rolled on his side. Pulling the fluffy comforter up to his chin he exhaled slowly to relax, and then he said to them. "Get some rest, we're going to have to plan our next move tomorrow." He heard the rustle of blankets from the beds around him, the others preparing for a much needed rest. He remembered Sephiroth's face from that night, five years ago; how raving mad and full of hate it was. He knew that Sephiroth's current plans could not be good news, for any of them, and he would have to be stopped.


	12. Ahead on Our Way

Chapter Twelve

Ahead on Our Way

Aeris awoke to a heavy rumbling noise. Sleepily turning her head, she saw that it had been Barret's snoring. She looked away, and stared up at the wooden ceiling. Light was coming in through the crack in the curtains and illuminating the dusty rafters above her. It reminded her of her bedroom she had left only yesterday, but at the same time, these rafters were unfamiliar and they reminded her that it might be quite a long time before she would be able to sleep in her own bed again. She took a deep breath, in hopes of calming her nerves, but the nightmares she had been having were still fresh in her mind.

She had heard the Planet all night. Somehow the Planet was so much clearer outside Midgar's polluted air; even if the voices were all merged into one massive cacophony it was still easier to comprehend than the babbling din she heard in the church. Something evil was radiating across the earth, and she knew it must be Sephiroth. She had always felt a sort of nagging worry from the Planet, worry over some unknown, dormant evil. The worry turned to terror only once, in her late teens. It had started screaming to her around her seventeenth birthday, just a while after she lost contact with her first boyfriend. It had cried and groaned and Aeris had never felt such fear before; something monstrous was scaring the planet. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. Occasionally, in her dreams, the Planet would interrupt with a strangled moan, but its suffering had reduced itself greatly, and only the nagging fear and worry remained. At least, until a few weeks ago. Just before she met Cloud, the Planet had resumed its screaming and crying. Aeris suspected it was connected to Sephiroth's return. She sat up slowly, and glanced around. Cloud and the others were still sleeping quietly, with the exception of Barret's thunderous snores. She arose to occupy the single, small shower at the other end of the room.

By the time she returned the others had woken up, and were discussing their next plan of action. She was greeted by a cheerful "Good morning" from Tifa and a series of nods from everyone else. "We were just deciding on a plan," Cloud offered as she returned to the corner of her bed. "We should probably see if we can't get any worthwhile materia here, and maybe some camping supplies. Somehow, I don't think we'll be lucky enough to sleep in an inn every night." He ran a hand through his always-unruly hair. "We also need to gather some possible leads on Sephiroth's direction."

"If he came here, he'd stick out like a sore thumb, someone would've seen him." Tifa added.

Cloud nodded in agreement. "The sooner we get all this done, the better." He looked around, "Tifa, you and Aeris should handle the shopping. Barret and I will go with Red to gather info." Everyone agreed and as soon as the team was packed and showered, they checked out of the inn. The two girls made their way to Kalm's market district to see what they could find. Tifa and Aeris were quickly becoming fast friends. They both enjoyed talking to one another, and both of them had their fair share of funny or exciting anecdotes. They were beginning to form the bond that only females understood, the sisterly camaraderie they were pressed to create in the midst of a group of males. Both girls understood that privacy was going to be a rare commodity on their trip, and by forming their friendly alliance, they would at least have privacy in their "girl talk". They strolled off towards the market district, brainstorming about possible amenities they could afford to bring.

It wasn't long before Cloud realized that several mistakes on his part were seriously impeding their progress. Sighing with frustration, he sat down on a bench in front of a bakery. As it had turned out, his group decision had been a bad one. He and Barret had spoken to several villagers about a 'man with long silver hair and a sword' but everyone seemed reluctant to talk to them. Cloud knew now that it was because he, Barret, and Red looked threatening. He should have asked the girls to gather information instead. To make matters worse, Barret seemed nearly gleeful at his apparent lack of experience at leading. He was still obviously annoyed at not being picked to make decisions for the team and had absolutely no qualms about holding a grudge.

"This is useless," Cloud sighed after a while. "Everyone's too cautious; they don't want to tell us anything. Let's just go find the girls." He led them towards the market, careful not to glance at Barret, all at once afraid to see his smug smirk and angered by it. He was just about to turn onto the main thoroughfare when a strong yank on his pant leg stopped him. Red, grasping the fabric of Cloud's pants in his jaws, gestured silently towards the center of the street. It was Tseng, flanked by two ShinRa soldiers and a female Turk he had never seen before. "Shit!" he breathed. "We gotta get Tifa and Aeris and get the hell out of here."

Red looked up to him, "I'll find them, meet us by the town gate."

"No way!" Barret put in, reaching for an ammo clip.

"I'm much faster and quieter than you!" Red snarled in an effort to whisper, looking at him with his one golden eye. "You're just going to have to trust me!"

Cloud grabbed Barret's shoulder and tugged him back towards the way they came. "C'mon, he's right. We can't fight them separated."

Barret hardly seemed satisfied, but followed Cloud back the way they had come. As the came upon the main gate, they mutually decided that keeping out of sight would be a good idea. They ducked into a slim alleyway, tense and very much aware of the threat Tseng posed if he caught them divided and tired. "Yo," Barret said after a minute. "You think we can trust him? He's only with us until he finds a way home."

"You trusted me when you knew I had ties with the ShinRa," Cloud answered simply. "He's got no reason to betray us."

Barret seemed to consider Cloud's point, but then muttered darkly, "Yeah, but you was gettin' paid. He's risking his life for no reason." Cloud didn't have a reply, though he had the strong urge to say something snide. Thankfully, however, it was only a few moments before Red, Tifa, and Aeris walked swiftly out of an adjacent alley. Red looked to the other men, "They didn't see us, but they're asking around for leads. They know we stayed at the inn last night."

"Alright," Cloud nodded. "We better get the hell outta here." He directed Aeris and Tifa to distribute their shopping, which included a collapsible tent for each person, dry rations, and several new materias, all of which could be held in moderately sized backpacks that Aeris had suggested.

"All ready," Aeris smiled, although her voice shook with fear that she couldn't quite hide. "What's our plan?" She lifted her drab pack and put it on, adjusting the straps. Beside her Tifa did the same, followed by Barret.

Cloud shouldered his bag and looked up and down the main plaza, hoping not to see Tseng and the woman. "Alright." He trotted out of town and they took up as quick a pace as they could without seeming suspicious. "First, I think we should get out of sight of the village, and then organize ourselves a bit better. Then we'll have to decide on where to go next."

They walked on in silence for nearly an hour. With the imminent threat of Rufus and the Turks hot on their tail, no one seemed willing to talk. The danger of their current mission seemed to be dawning on everyone. They were to pursue and ultimately confront Sephiroth, the greatest SOLDIER who ever lived, while at the same time avoiding the Turks and the rest of the ShinRa. Cloud was beginning to realize how difficult this journey was going to be. Lag behind and get caught by the ShinRa to face torture, experimentation, or simple execution. Move quickly and maybe catch up with Sephiroth, who, Cloud admitted, would not have a difficult time killing all of them at once. He almost wanted to laugh.

At last, he realized that he could hear the sound of rushing water coming from the west. As they drew closer, they saw that it was a wide river set with high cliffs on either side. Cloud motioned the others to a broad outcropping just below the regular ground and they all followed him towards it. Once settled, Cloud called a halt. "Okay, let's eat a quick meal and reorganize ourselves."

As they sat in silence, Aeris distributed small loaves of bread and even smaller cuts of fish that she had bought earlier. "We bought some perishable food for today and tomorrow," she explained, smiling.

Although the portions were relatively meager, everyone ate voraciously, having skipped a meal earlier that morning. The food was tasty, and was disappearing quickly. "Alright," Cloud began, between bites, "We weren't able to find any information about Sephiroth's direction. We need to make a decision."

Barret, who was still in a lingering bad mood, shrugged his shoulders. "There's only two places."

"Yes," Red nodded. "Sephiroth has either headed back to Midgar, or he has gone southwest."

Aeris cocked her head and brushed the crumbs of her meal off her lap. "Why southwest?"

"Well, if he's going against the ShinRa, he would probably head to Junon, seeing as there's no point in returning to Midgar." Red explained, sounding like a patient teacher.

"Yeah, but if his ultimate goal is the Promised Land, he might not go there." Tifa replied.

Cloud scratched his head, finishing his final bite of lunch. "Sephiroth's strong, but not strong enough to swim across the ocean. Even if he wanted to go to the western continent he'd have to get transportation. Junon's a naval base, so there'd be plenty of ships for him to sneak on."

"It would seem," Red affirmed, "That Junon is the safest bet."

"So then we just keep going southwest? From here?" Aeris questioned.

"No," Barret replied, softening his expression as he looked at her. "We gotta go southeast until we start hittin' the swamps, then we gotta start heading west and take the pass through the mountains."

Aeris laughed lightly, her face growing red. "I'm just happy you've been outside Midgar before. I don't really remember anywhere else, so I'm useless at figuring out where to go!"

For three days they trekked through open plains. While everyone was excited to get going, they were all starting to realize just how much danger they were in. The road was difficult and the sun beat down on them with only small breaks provided by fluffy rolling clouds. Thankfully, though, there had been no sign of the ShinRa or the Turks since they left Kalm. That had easily been their biggest blessing at the moment. The terrain was wide open with only sparse patches of trees, not enough cover to hide from military aircraft or to sleep without having watches. There weren't too many animals on the plains that could cause Cloud and the others to really worry, though, and for that they were thankful. They had seen a number of chocobos, but the skittish animals had run off long before they could get close. Additionally, they had all made good use of their tents, and had eaten most of the rations.

As the sun was setting on the third night, they had come to a large patch of trees that they intended to make a camp in. Cloud was about to throw down his pack when Red lifted his head and paused. "There's a big bunch of chocobos up ahead." He said, sniffing deeply. "It smells like a farm, there are humans there, too."

"Which means there might be a house!" Aeris concluded excitedly. While she hadn't complained about the strenuous journey, she couldn't keep the hope out of her voice. Her young face was lit up with the hopes of a real bed and a roof for the night. "Maybe we can sleep there!"

Tifa nodded back to her, just as excited and just as hopeful. "Let's go check!"

Cloud and Barret rolled their eyes, but couldn't help hoping for a comfortable bed as well. As they made it over the next grassy hill, they saw, just as Red had deduced, a large farm. There was an enclosure on the front lawn and a boy was leading a pair of chocobos out and towards a large, warmly lit barn. Tifa and Aeris both seemed positively smitten with the quaint little farm, and seemed to be fighting back the urge to race down the hill. "Okay," Cloud started cautiously, "Let's not bum rush them. We need to come up with some sort of alibi in case the ShinRa's put out a public warning for us. If we scare them, they'll never let us in."

"Aeris better knock, den." Barret said, unable to hide a faint smirk.

Aeris put her hands on her hips and glared, but a wide smile split across her face as well. "Oh fine! I'm sorry I can't be as big and scary-looking as you, Barret. At least they'll let me in; you can sleep in your tent."

"What should we tell them?" Red asked, obviously pondering the question himself.

Aeris clapped her hands together in delight. "I know!" she grinned, pointing to each of them in turn. "Tifa's my sister, and Cloud is her new fiancé! Barret is Cloud's best friend and Red can be our pet!" Cloud and Tifa both went crimson, Barret rolled his dark eyes, and Red seemed more than just put-off.

Cloud ran a nervous hand through his unruly hair and tried his hardest not to look at Tifa. "Yeah, but what should we say if someone asks us where we're going?"

"We could be visiting our retired father, who lives on the base." she replied.

Red sighed heavily, "Well, that seems like it should be passable."

Aeris trotted down the hill and towards the barn door, the others lingered behind her, but at a distance. The boy that had led the chocobos into the barn was gone now, and they could faintly hear the animals calling to each other from within. Aeris grinned reassuringly back to her companions, and after brushing some dust off of her skirt, she lightly rapped on the door.

A moment passed before an older gentleman opened the door. He was tall and heavy set, with salt and pepper hair. He smiled at Aeris, but his warmth melted into mild suspicion as he caught sight of the others behind her, particularly Barret and Red. "Can I help you, miss?"

"Oh, yes," Aeris affirmed, clasping her hands together, "We were hoping you could offer us some shelter tonight. We'll pay, of course." She added quickly.

The man crossed his arms, but smirked slightly. "You're in luck, you are," he told them seriously, "I had a family in here taking up all my guest beds, but they left this morning. Scarcely got the place cleaned up!" he laughed heartily.

"Even a messy house is better than no house," Tifa pointed out quickly.

He guffawed loudly, "I suppose so, missy." He ushered them inside with a sweep of a hand. He took their gear and placed it next to the front door and instructed them to take off their shoes as to not track dirt across his new carpet. "Just had it put it," he was saying to Aeris as he led them into the dining room. "Cost a small fortune, but it sure makes the place look nice." He gestured for them to have a seat at the long dining table in the center of the room. "I'll get you something to eat in a minute; it comes with the room price." He winked and disappeared around the corner. "Billy! Chloe!" he shouted "Come clean up the guest room! We've got four and a dog!"

Red bristled with indignation as the man returned from the other room. "I am not-" he started, but a sharp kick from Cloud made him realize what he was about to do. The old man seemed none the wiser as he set about preparing something for them to eat.

"I'm afraid I've not got a whole lot of food, but I guarantee that it'll be better than what ya can find on the plains." He laughed again. "My name's Bill."

"I'm Aeris," she piped up, positively beaming. "This is my sister, Tifa, and her fiancé, Cloud. This is his best friend Barret, and his pet, Red."

"What brings you folks out here in the boondocks?" Bill asked amiably.

"We're on our way to Junon." Cloud offered, smiling lopsidedly.

Bill looked over his shoulder at them. "Oh? What's in Junon for you?"

Tifa and Aeris looked at each other, and Tifa smiled back to Bill. "Our father lives there. He's retired and we're going to pay him a visit."

Bill clapped his hands together, and then clasped the girls' shoulders. "What perfect daughters you are!" he thundered. "I bet he spoils you terribly!" He brought them a monstrous plate of sandwiches and an equally huge pitcher of juice. Bill even set down a dish of cold meat and a bowl of water for Red. The crimson feline looked at it with unmasked disdain, but his hunger won out and he began to eat.

Aeris had never been a heavy eater, but she found that she easily ate three whole sandwiches and was still a little hungry afterwards. This was nothing, however, to the number of sandwiches Barret, or even Cloud had eaten. While the young blond was on his fifth or sixth, Barret was easily on his tenth, and still looked like he could eat another five. Tifa wore an expression of interested disgust as she watched Barret absolutely annihilating the sandwich platter. She was so engrossed with Barret's gluttony that she seemed to forget about the sandwich in her own hands.

Finally, when the platter of food had been completely finished off, Bill led them to a large room towards the back of the house. The roof was low and slanted, with thick rafters of a contrasting color running across it. At the back of the room there was a fire place, and the fire inside it warmed the room to a wonderful degree. "Sorry!" Bill chortled abruptly as he came in behind them. "I don't have any double beds." He clapped Cloud on the back and put his hand on Tifa's shoulder. They both reddened and looked away from each other. "Ah well, best to be decent in front of friends, right?" Barret smirked widely at Cloud's burning face. Aeris tried to hide her amusement as well, but could only do so by turning away from them. "Alright! I'll leave you all alone now!" Bill waved a thick hand at them as he excused himself and closed the door behind him.

There were three beds and a sleeper, and after choosing their bed, they took off their excess clothing and armor. Suddenly and very audibly, Red sighed. "We're down a bed." He answered when the others looked at him.

"No we ain't." Barret said, pointing towards the back of the room. "There's your bed."

Red followed his gaze and snorted indignantly. At the back of the room there was a large wicker dog basket, lined with a thick woolen blanket. Aeris giggled and patted him on the nose. Tifa offered him a sympathetic look, and then said, "Want me to lay the blanket on the floor for you?"

"I can do it." he mumbled, his indignance speaking volumes. Grabbing a mouthful of blanket, he dragged it out of the basket and across the floor. Once it was open enough, he flopped down on it, still visibly offended.

"Tomorrow," Cloud said, "We should check and see if we can rent some chocobos. They'll make the trip that much easier." Everyone must have been exhausted, though, because no one answered. It wasn't long until everyone had fallen asleep and Barret's thundering snores began filling the room.

Bill had generously made them omelets the next morning, and Billy had put together some traveling food for them. As they were finishing up, Cloud brought up the matter of chocobos. "Oh pity!" Bill said, slapping his knee. "We're all rented out and the ones in the barn are being stabled for someone else." When Bill saw the disappointed expressions on their faces, he smiled sympathetically. "Now, now. I can sell you some supplies and you'll be able to catch your own! It's much cheaper than renting."

"Is it hard to do that?" Tifa asked.

"Oh no!" Bill guffawed, "Long as you got the right stuff."

Excitedly, Aeris clapped her hands together. "I've always wanted to ride a chocobo!"

Bill laughed and told Billy to run and get them the supplies. The little boy came back quickly and laid a small sack on the kitchen table. He picked up a deep purple materia and handed it to Cloud. "This is the lure," Billy said seriously. "You can catch chocobos without it, but it's a lot harder." Cloud handed the youngster a handful of Gil, and the boy continued with the next item out of the rucksack. "These are greens," he said, pulling several succulent looking vegetables out. "You distract them with these. Once the chocobo sees that you're offering it food, they become docile enough to ride."

Cloud paid for the supplies, as well as their room and board for the night. Saying goodbye, Bill gave them an uncharacteristically serious look. "Don't get lazy, now. Make sure you get those chocobos. To get to Junon, you'll have to head due west through the marshes, and then take the road through the Mythril Mines. Be very careful, though. There's a huge monster living in the marshes."

"I heard of it." Barret sighed, looking anxious. "The Midgar Zolom."

"That's why you'll want those chocobos." Bill said, smiling once again. "You'll need to outrun the monster."

They thanked him graciously and were, once again, ahead on their way.


	13. Open Skies

Chapter Thirteen

Open Skies

As the continued east, Red still seemed annoyed at having been treated as a pet and expected to sleep in a dog bed, and Cloud did his best not to make small talk with him, afraid he would only annoy him further. He felt sorry for the intelligent beast, and although he didn't wish to say anything, he realized that Red would have to act that way whenever they reached a town. His appearance was rather threatening and with his elongated canines, onyx claws, and thick muscles that rippled under his short fur, Cloud thought he looked like he could easily tear the face of a man even as big as Barret. It was unfair, but because of the sensitivity of their mission, he knew that Red would have to hide his ability to speak and his intelligence whenever they entered the presence of regular people.

Cloud looked about at the others that had decided to follow him in this insane mission of his. Tifa and Aeris were right behind him, and Barret was bringing up the rear with Red. He had noticed that the girls got along with each other very well, and he was thankful for their blooming friendship. This journey was going to be difficult enough without having to worry about group relations, and it was important for them to be able to function as a team in battle as well. At the moment Tifa was telling Aeris about her bar back in Midgar and the different things that had happened to her while working there. Aeris listened intently, and seemed to be genuinely interested in what Tifa was saying. Cloud was glad to have Tifa with him, and it was more than just his usual silent attraction. Although she did not look it, Tifa's power would be a great asset to the team and their goals. She was easily the fastest combatant in the party, with maybe the exception of Red. And unlike most female fighters Cloud had seen in the army, who relied on speed and agility alone, Tifa was very, very strong. Even more importantly, Cloud also felt a strong bond with her that went beyond their deep friendship. This was the bond they shared because they had both experienced the terror of Nibelheim, and only they knew the true horror of Sephiroth. They had shared that horrendous incident, and it brought them closer and gave them the strength of purpose.

His mako-infused eyes wandered over Aeris next. She was definitely something of an enigma. Being the sole survivor of the Ancients, she had mysterious powers that enabled her to "speak" to the Planet. While Cloud had no real idea what this meant, he knew it was a power that would prove to be of utmost importance. Aeris was always open and cheerful, but she tended to be reserved and downright vague or ambiguous about her connection to the Planet. He made it a point not to press the issue, though, because he felt that she was protecting herself by not disclosing everything about her powers, and this was probably due to the fact that she spent her whole life avoiding the Turks and the rest of the ShinRa. He had known Aeris for a very short time, but he felt, almost instantly, that he could trust her. She was beautiful, he thought, she radiated warmth and care… almost like a mother. This was a weird thing to think, he supposed, but it was the first thing that came to his mind. She was gentle and calm, making her easy to get along with and even easier to talk to. Cloud felt guilty for involving Aeris in all of this, but he knew she had to keep going. Although she did her best to hide it, she was very worried about Sephiroth's recent appearance, and ShinRa's new goal. The Promised Land was something that was very important to her race, and she felt she needed to protect it at all cost.

Barret marched behind the girls, looking only somewhat alert as he followed them in silence. Cloud didn't know anything about the man's past, except that he hated the ShinRa and would put his life on the line without a second thought in order to hurt the company in any way. Cloud had always thought Barret to be hot-headed to the point of stupidity, but hadn't poked fun at the older man since the collapse of Sector Seven. Everyone could see past his rough exterior to the worried adult behind. Cloud knew he felt responsible for the deaths of his teammates on the pillar, and he felt even worse about leaving his daughter behind. He and Barret might not be the best of friends, but he knew that underneath his appearance, he was a good man, trying to do what he can for his daughter.

Rounding up Chocobos was not nearly as easy as Bill had made them believe. While the group had no trouble finding them (due in part to the large tracks they left, and Red's acute sense of smell), the birds were extremely skittish. Cloud had the distinct impression the chocobos could smell his feline companion, but he didn't have the heart to say anything. By the time he and the others had rounded up four of the large birds that were calm enough to ride, it was nearly noon. Each member of AVALANCHE had their own chocobo, except Red, who point blank refused to climb on top of one. Aeris had miraculously coerced him into riding, however, once she wondered aloud about the dreadful feeling one must get when they have swamp sludge caked in their fur.

They crossed the marshes without difficulty. The going was tense, though, because while they hadn't seen any sign of the actual Midgar Zolom, they did come across a monstrous shed snake skin that had startled them out of their wits. Everyone was quiet, and the only noises came from marsh birds and the sloshing of the chocobos through the mud. Towering clouds were building as the Mythril Mountains rose in the immediate distance. They were darkening rapidly, and the wind was beginning to pick up. Cloud had picked up the pace, anxious to avoid the brewing storm, and they pushed the chocobos through the mushy, wet ground. Even at their advanced pace and with the aid of the chocobos, the going was still relatively slow. Crossing these swamps would've been tedious, wet, and even slower on foot.

Twilight had set in by they time the swamp had started to give way to solid ground. The sparse grass coating the earth was yellow and stubby, its growth impeded by an increasingly rocky terrain. Ahead of them, still ways off, was a rocky, craggy trail. The small footpath wound through huge rocks and steadily began to incline. The entrance to the mines was only a little farther up the foothills.

As the group was making its way around a blind turn in the path, framed by enormous rocks, several of the chocobos reared and tried to turn back. Cloud was caught off guard by the sudden squawking, and half fell, half jumped off his frightened mount. Before his feet had even touched the pebbly ground, the bird bolted past its fellows towards the swamp. Both Aeris' and Tifa's birds had done the same thing as they bucked their riders to the ground. Barret's bird remained, but only because it was unsuccessful at throwing the large man from its back. "What the hell is wrong wit them?" Barret swore loudly, climbing off his hysterical bird. Cloud turned to help the girls up.

Red lifted his crimson head and inhaled. "I can smell a great deal of blood from farther up the trail."

Cloud looked up from pulling Tifa to her feet, and Aeris beside them was brushing dust off her dress. "Blood?" he asked worriedly. "What kind of blood?"

The big cat looked away. "I can't tell, there's just a lot of it." The ex-SOLDIER drew his sword and started to make his way around the bend. He had a bad feeling about something, and he had the horrendous suspicion that the ShinRa or Sephiroth might not be far off. The others followed his lead and prepared themselves for whatever lay beyond.

Cloud turned the bend and inhaled sharply. As the others came from behind, they all echoed his reaction. Before them was a widened clearing, with sparse trees scattered at the edges. In the center of the clearing was the Midgar Zolom. The huge snake was utterly mutilated, the colossal black pointed head was speared through with a jagged tree trunk and the monster's horrendous body was lifelessly strewn in a loose spiral around it. Sticky maroon blood was caked all along the trunk and the snake's head. Trails of blood followed the curves of the body from where its eyes had been gouged out. They looked on, stunned.

"It had to be Sephiroth!" Cloud burst out, audibly angry and afraid at the same time.

Red's short fur seemed to bristle a bit as he looked at the mangled beast. "Our enemy is someone who can do this?"

Aeris turned from the grotesque sight, and Barret looked on in unhindered amazement. "That thing coulda taken us all out, easy," he muttered, "Sephiroth even had time to fuck around with it."

Tifa looked almost as upset as Cloud, angry and afraid, but the fear was much more pronounced on her young, feminine face. "Oh my gods," she breathed, "It's really him. Sephiroth is really alive."

"Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted, brandishing his sword. "Where are you!?" Tifa snatched his upper arm fearfully, as if she expected Cloud's provocation would actually work. Now that the threat was so real, her fear was nearly debilitating. She believed that Sephiroth was alive and she believed in Cloud's determination to stop him, but now there was a tangible sign that Sephiroth was really, really back…

Barret looked at Aeris as she composed herself. "If Sephiroth has this kind of power," she said seriously, "and this is what he uses it for, he's got to be stopped."

The bigger man nodded, feeling camaraderie between himself and the last Ancient. Cloud's continued shouting caused him to briefly glance at the young man, and then back to the woman before him. "We better keep moving," he told her, nervously looking around and jerking a thumb at Cloud. "We gotta shut him up; who knows what's still hangin' round here."

"I agree," said Red whole heartedly. With no small amount of effort, they managed to calm Tifa down enough to try and coerce Cloud away from the scene of macabre. They were both extremely agitated, Aeris noted, but Tifa's pleading and her hands tugging on his, seemed to be working. With some difficulty, they convinced Cloud to press forward, but only because he thought Sephiroth might still be only a little while ahead of them.

They were well away from the scene and Tifa still had not let go of him. No one had the audacity to remark on her anxiousness, because everyone in the party was beyond any sane description of the word "tense". They trekked on in total silence, and Aeris could easily see that Cloud's neck and shoulders looked extremely taught with the tension of their current situation. He hadn't sheathed his sword and carried it in his right hand as Tifa held his left, just above the bangle of armor that sat on his wrist.

The rain began to fall and with everyone so exhausted and nervous, Cloud was forced to call a halt. He adamantly argued that they should follow Sephiroth without resting, but looking at his comrades, he knew that they had to rest sometime, even if he wanted nothing more to follow his most hated enemy into the depths of the mines. Red argued that the safest place to sleep would be in the entrance of the mines, in order to give cover from the rain and to be protected from surprise attacks. He managed to convince the others of this and they hiked the final stretch towards the mines in the pouring rain.

After a restless and rainy night, they pressed forward into the mines. They spent a whole day navigating the twisting tunnels. It was cool and dark, though, and more than once they had to wade across deep pools of water that sat like mirrors on the cobalt colored ground. The wildlife hiding around the dark corners was aggressive, but most of the creatures were small enough to overpower without much difficulty. They had pressed on with only minor bumps and scrapes, with the exception of a poisonous bite Tifa had suffered when she had startled some sort of shifty reptile. Luckily, Aeris had the wits to buy a fair amount of medical items when they had spent the night in Kalm and was able to counteract the more serious symptoms.

The mines were completely abandoned, but there were still guideposts and signs and remnants of old fires to help them navigate the dark passageways. After some searching, they found themselves in what seemed to be a major tunnel, with smaller ones branching off it. Farther along they found a sign labeled "Condor Exit" and it confirmed their direction as they tried to pass through the mines as swiftly as possible.

They followed the main tunnel in the same general direction for several hours. The path dipped and then started to climb towards the surface. The Mythril Mountains weren't a terribly dense range, but going over them was nearly impossible. The mines had originally been built as an underground pass, but vast stores of mythril were discovered during its construction and had since been consequently mined dry. Far towards the end of the tunnel, the walls met and formed a stone archway that opened into a wider chamber. As the party reached it, however, Cloud gestured for them to stop. They could hear voices. The young ex-SOLDIER slowly poked his head around the corner. A gun shot exploded into the silent air and Cloud quickly pulled back into the tunnel. "It's the fucking Turks!" he cursed, looking slightly shaken.

"Mutha fucka!" Barret exploded and jumped around the corner before his comrades could stop him and, as he jammed a clip into his gun, he spouted horrendous obscenities at the two figures in blue. It was Rude, and the blonde woman they had seen in Kalm. Both of them had their handguns trained at Barret.

Surprising them all, Aeris leapt out in front and pulled Barret's arm. "No!" she shouted.

Upon recognizing her, Rude lowered his gun, and the blonde looked scandalized. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "They're AVALANCHE! We should shoot them."

"No," said Rude simply. When the woman continued to glare at him, he sighed. "That girl is the Ancient, we don't harm her."

The rest of AVALANCHE was now in the opening with Barret and Aeris, whose emerald eyes flashed angrily. "I have a name, you know."

The blonde scoffed haughtily at the rag tag group. "You're just lucky our orders concern Sephiroth and not you!"

"Elena…" Rude started, but she was talking too loudly for him to hear.

Tifa made a rude gesture and cut Elena off. "It looks like they're taking anyone for the Turks, now."

Elena bristled and opened her mouth to retort when Rude cut her off again. "Thanks to what you did to Reno," he said tersely.

Elena looked positively thunderstruck, and turned deep red. The embarrassment of her own partner insulting her was too much. "Yeah? Well, I- You're just really lucky that we've been ordered to follow Sephiroth to Junon instead of dealing with your sorry asses!" she blurted angrily.

"You talk too much, Elena." Rude said, calmly.

She seemed more than ready to reply with a rude answer to go with his namesake, but then she realized what she had just revealed and went an even darker shade of red. Rude made his way to an opening on the ledge he was on and ushered Elena out before him. Just as he was about to disappear through the dark tunnel, he turned to face Cloud and the others. "Reno says he wants to repay you for the wound you gave him."

Cloud didn't reply, and Rude's bald head disappeared into the inky black.

"God damn lazy Turks." Barret grumbled, finally lowering his gun.

"We're lucky they're lazy," Tifa snapped, irritably. "Even that newbie could've caused a lot of problems for us."

Aeris smiled faintly. "I just can't believe they made her a Turk. She seems way inexperienced."

"Yeah," Cloud replied, "But at least she's confirmed our suspicions about Junon."

The exit was only another short while down the same tunnel, and they left the mines. It was still quite early as they stepped out into sunshine, and decided to travel towards Ft. Condor, where, Barret assured them, they would be able to buy supplies and restock provisions, Cloud agreed since it was only a small ways off their route. The trek wasn't that far, but they were still too far away by nightfall, so they decided to sit tight and camp out. It didn't help that there were several particularly nasty species of monsters roaming the area that made the going much slower. By the second night they had reached Fort Condor, where they were indeed able to buy supplies and rest up. In exchange for a donation, the people there let them stay the night. The men there periodically had to battle the ShinRa away from the reactor and its resident golden condor and their anti-ShinRa woes had earned the sympathy of Barret's pocketbook. The fort was built into the side of a mountain, which kept the inside at a rather cool temperature. The chambers were all connected by earthen tunnels with an assortment of ropes and ladders aiding in the ascent, and the fort contained everything it needed to operate independently. There was a weapons shop, an item store that even stocked materia, extra beds, and even a galley. Their stay here was comfortable, especially when compared with camping out on the plains.

After their brief stay in the fort, the continued making their way towards the coastline. The terrain was much like it was near Bill's ranch, but it rockier and split with wide rivers. Crossing them wasn't too difficult, but swimming against the current to the other side was tiring. Since they couldn't very well travel soaking wet, they had to rest after every crossing in order to dry off a little. They continued towards Junon for two more days, the weather steadily becoming more overcast as they grew closer to the ocean. Forests were building on the small hills and mountains, offering them a great deal of cover. On the last day before they would reach the naval base, Cloud had them stop to rest in the late afternoon.

He decided to use the remainder of the day to rest up. He was anxious and angry all at the same time, though, and this decision just made him impatient. He was infuriated that Sephiroth was so close, but he knew they wouldn't stand a shadow of a chance if they faced him without resting first. Cloud wasn't even sure that they stood a chance at full power. The members of AVALANCHE had started to put their campsite together at a leisurely pace.

Tifa had just returned to the clearing with a load of kindling in her arms when, out of nowhere, a figure shot down from out of the trees and tackled her. Tifa let out a cry of surprise as the wood flew from her hands and she hit the ground under the force of the attack. She was back on her feet quickly, though, even as the rest of AVALANCHE was just recovering from the initial surprise of the attack.

The mysterious assailant stood up straight, and they saw, with surprise, that it was a girl. She held Tifa's money in her right hand and smirked smugly at them, her cocoa colored eyes dancing with mischief.

Tifa shot forward and started throwing lightning-quick punches, but the girl proved to be extremely fast herself. She dodged the first two, and then preformed a flawless back flip to put a wide gap between her and Tifa. By now, the rest of AVALANCHE was jumping into the fray. Barret opened fire on the figure, but she shot back up into a tall tree, leaving a rain of tiny, but very sharp, shurikens to pelt them.

Aeris let loose a massive blast of ice that disappeared into the foliage, coating the branches and leaves in crystal clear frost as it went. The young ninja leapt down from the tree in a hurry, cursing in surprise. Cloud rushed towards her as she was about to hit the ground. The girl dodged the sword swing with grace, and lashed out with an oversized shruiken she had unsheathed from her back. The tip of the weapon clashed against Cloud's own, and he realized, with relief and mild surprise, that she was rather weak. He pushed against her, knocking her back a few steps. A flash of orangey fur suddenly shot past his eyes and took the girl with it. Red had arrived on the scene and roughly tackled the girl into the hard dirt.

She made a small groan of terror as Red's heavy paws pressed her shoulders into the ground. He snarled, baring sharp white canines that gleamed ferociously. The young assailant seemed to be contemplating a method of escape, but Barret stormed over and roughly grabbed her upper arm and half hoisted, half yanked to her feet. She pulled against his iron grip and when that proved futile, she made to swing at him with her shuriken. Tifa's foot flew up so quickly, that almost no one saw it. The martial artist kicked the large throwing star neatly from the girl's grasp with the tip of her foot. It soared into the air and landed with a clatter well out of reach.

The girl, now hopelessly caught, did the only thing left. With her free arm flailing wildly, she began to curse at them and struggle against Barret's grip. "Let go of me!" ,he shrieked, looking positively furious. "You ShinRa jerk-offs! I'm totally going to kill you and kick the crap out of your stupid ass company!"

Barret's dark eyes widened in surprise. "You against the ShinRa?"

Still, struggling, she looked up at him with rage written all over her young face. "Hell yes I am! And you're all next if you don't let go of me this instant, you ShinRa scum!" She struggled more vigorously, but Barret didn't let go.

Aeris stepped forward, into the girl's direct line of vision. "We're not from the ShinRa." she said, perfectly friendly with a small smile. "We're a rebellion group. We've just escaped from Midgar and we're on our way to Junon."

The girl stopped fighting her captor and looked at her. "R-really?" She couldn't seem to hide the excitement in her voice. Aeris nodded, still smiling.

Barret lit up instantly, "We're AVALANCHE." He said, sounding overly excited himself. He always got excited at the prospect of recruiting new members for AVALANCHE,

"And you fight the ShinRa?" questioned the girl.

Barret pumped his gun-arm in the air. "Yeah! We blew up a bunch of reactors in Midgar!"

Cloud decided that this girl wasn't much of a threat anymore, so he approached her. He only glared at her for a moment, then took Tifa's coin purse from her hand and returned it. The girl yanked free of Barret, who was suddenly distracted by talk of blowing up the ShinRa. She clenched her fists in unmasked excitement and exclaimed, "I'm totally coming with you! I was thinking about heading to Junon, too." She was greeted with a muttering of surprise and dissent.

"Oh, wonderful." Red growled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

She seemed only slightly surprised that Red could talk, but quickly turned to the remaining members. "My name's Yuffie. From the Kisaragi family." she grinned widely.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent setting up a suitable campsite. While most of the party was annoyed at Yuffie's point-blank refusal to go away, she was admittedly helpful. She had apparently been living in the forest for several days, preying on travelers and stealing their money. She knew the area rather well, and was able to lead them to a small brook that was teeming with fish. Cloud was more mistrustful of her than anything, though, and the others seemed to echo his sentiments. No one was entirely willing to stop what they were doing to introduce themselves; with the exception of Aeris. Aeris had immediately taken to Yuffie and Cloud could hear them chattering away as he was trying to build a fire. Aeris had first introduced herself and then pointed to each member of AVALANCHE in turn and told Yuffie their names. The young girl listened attentively and would occasionally repeat Aeris or mutter "gotcha".

That night they sat around the small fire, cooking the fish they had caught earlier. Aeris was recapping their adventures thus far, with Tifa filling in where Aeris had missed. Yuffie listened intently, only interrupting to curse the ShinRa and its deeds further. Tifa questioned the young ninja about her motives for being out in the woods alone, but Yuffie gave off the impression that she was withholding information when she flatly explained that she had been on her way to Midgar when she ran out of supplies and had decided to hide out to mug travelers. "So," she said through a mouthful of roast fish. "What's the plan for Junon?"

"We've followed Sephiroth, and tomorrow we're going to face him." Cloud said, visibly becoming agitated at the mere mention of his enemy.

Yuffie stared at him through the dark bangs that hung into her face. "Sephiroth?" Her brown eyes widened and her slight smile vanished. "_General_ Sephiroth? You're going to _fight_ him?"

The blonde ex-SOLDIER nodded tensely. "Fight him and kill him."

"You don't stand a chance." She said, looking shocked. "He destroyed Wutai during the war, pretty much by himself!"

"I know." Cloud said, still looking angry. "That doesn't matter, though. He's after The Promised Land and he's got to be stopped. He's insane." The young man crossed his arms moodily, but it was really a gesture of self-protection.

"Oh man," Yuffie sighed, hanging her head. "This is gonna suck."

Always becoming inexplicably annoyed when Sephiroth was the topic of discussion, Cloud truncated the conversation and got up to go to his tent. The others followed suit, knowing they would need all the energy they could get for tomorrow's upcoming battle.


	14. Ocean Breathes Salty

Chapter Fourteen

Ocean Breathes Salty

Junon was constructed much the same way as Midgar: slums on the bottom and comfortable living on top. There was no way to actually enter the base without first passing through Old Junon – the slums. Old Junon was small and the meager housing was built with splintering planks that showcased peeling paint in homey colors of blues and browns. The living conditions in these slums, however, were still a far cry better than life in Midgar. While the streets were dusty, the ground was still clean, and there weren't tough-looking street thugs waiting for their next opportunity to harass someone. There were people milling about in the street chatting to each other; most of them, Cloud noticed, were a good deal older than he was.

The street was paved with cobblestones worn rough with lack of maintenance and there were patches of short grass that burst up through the cracks. Railroad vines and sandy beach grass sprouted around houses and grew in great bunches at the corners of houses and along a path leading towards the water. Aeris leaned over to examine the flowers carefully, and smiled happily. She was so excited to be able to experience new things, and even if they were on a very dangerous mission, she couldn't help but take joy in the new things she had seen just in the past week. She had captured and even ridden a chocobo and seen beautiful flowers she hadn't even known existed. Aeris felt a little guilty in taking so much pleasure in such a hazardous endeavor, but she simply couldn't help it. She resolved to write her mom the first chance she got.

Following in Midgar's spirit, Old Junon had the base built right on top of it, so the sky could only be seen past the overhang of runways. The sky was still a bit more open, and a salty, fishy sort of smell was blowing through the streets. Just beyond the line of homes that framed the main avenue, the ocean could be heard, shifting lazily across a littered beach. At the end of the street, they could make out the guard shack that stood obstinately before a lift up into the base that was wide enough to carry a truck.

"This place is so run-down," Tifa said, looking about. "Its just like the slums back in Midgar."

Barret looked out towards the ocean, noting that the water was a dingy grey-green. "It's because the fucking ShinRa gotta build god damned plates on toppa everyone."

They made their way down to the guard shack, and tried to pass. Acting nonchalantly as they could, they casually walked in and made their way towards the metal detector. The soldier inside, however informed them that Junon was under a code orange security alert. "I can't let you through unless you all have military IDs."

"Well, when will the code change?" Aeris asked politely, but with concern edging her voice, having given the same alibi that she had given Bill. "Our father's expecting us."

"Couldn't tell you even if I knew" said the guard dismissively. When the group still didn't budge from the entrance, the young man sighed in annoyance. "Look, I'm sorry, but no military ID, no going to the base. There's nothing I can do about it, okay?"

They returned dejectedly towards the center of town, annoyance written across all of their faces. Yuffie flopped onto a park bench and moaned, furthering the severe looks on most of her teammates' faces. "I wish we could just get this over with!"

The others began crowding around the bench as well, discussing what might be their best bet as far as entry to the base went. "We can't just wait for them to start letting civilians in." Cloud said, visibly bothered. "Sephiroth's in there and we gotta do something before he gets away!"

Tifa looked at the lift. "There's gotta be more than one way into that base, I mean, it's huge."

"D'ya think we could climb up the runway supports?" Yuffie asked, pointing at where great I-beams rested in the water offshore. Everyone turned to look where she gestured and saw the steel framed structures that connected with the overhanging runways. The supports were huge, and it would take a long time to get up to the top.

"We would be extremely visible," Red cautioned.

Aeris stood up. "Well, let's check it out. Something might turn up."

The followed the sandy street down an incline that led to the beach. The water was indeed polluted, and there was sparse litter that speckled the dark sand. The shore was deserted, except for a young girl wading out in the shallows. She was splashing in the water and speaking, but they couldn't make out her words over the sound of the waves.

"Ew!" Yuffie blurted, suddenly, "Why is she swimming in this gross water?"

"What's she doing?" Barret asked, mostly to himself as he squinted to make her out better.

"Ohmygosh!" Aeris shrieked with glee, "Look at the dolphin!"

Sure enough there was a dark blue shadow swimming about the girl. The form came out of the water partially and blew a great cloud of mist into the air. The little girl was talking to it. "Yay! Mr. Dolphin!" She made a waving motion with one of her hands as she raced towards the shore, and the blue shadow streaked out into deeper waters. Turning around, the dolphin broke the surface of the water in a graceful arc, sending water in all directions and soaring well above the ocean before landing back in with a splash.

Aeris gasped in amazement as Tifa, Barret, and Yuffie all clapped. The little girl whirled around and frowned severely. "Who are you guys?" She demanded, sounding a little bit afraid. "Are you from the ShinRa?"

Barret's smile faded. "No, we fight against the ShinRa."

"I don't believe you!" She demanded, "Get out of here!"

Cloud rolled his eyes in annoyance, having never been exceptionally fond of children. "Great."

A huge crash suddenly rent the air, making them jump. All present whipped about in time to see a huge serpentine creature rising from the depths just a distance from them. "Mr. Dolphin!" the little girl screamed. Before anyone could react she streaked towards the blue shadow. Cloud and Tifa sprinted into the water to try and reach her as the huge dragon creature lowered a webbed fin and swatted the girl away from its intended snack. She shrieked and disappeared beneath the surface.

Before the beast could withdraw its appendage, Cloud slashed at it violently. Green spray burst from the wound and the monster roared in fury. Its pointed head swung in his direction and it roared again. It raised its head, preparing to strike, when a large ball of fire exploded in its face. Aeris and Red were on the shore, blasting it with magic, as Barret began unloading bullets into it. The water dragon howled in rage and reared to its full height. Opening its great mouth, it made a strange gurgling noise as it swung its massive head back towards Cloud's direction. He dropped, planning to dodge at the last second and charge in for another attack. The monster expelled something from its mouth; Cloud was expecting a blast of energy. It wasn't energy, he realized suddenly, as a blue sphere of something grew closer and closer to him. It was something that had definite form and weight to it.

Something slammed into him out of nowhere, and knocked him down into the salty water. He heard the thing, whatever it was, smash into the water and a muffled cry of surprise. Sputtering, he pulled himself into a standing position as fast as he could and realized what had happened. Tifa had knocked him out of the way of the attack, which had turned out to be some kind of sticky sphere. She was trapped inside of it, and wherever her body had made contact with the inner wall, a slimy, blue-tinged membrane had all but cemented her in place. She grimaced in pain suddenly and opened her mouth to cry out. Cloud could barely hear her.

The dragon roared and lunged forward to finish off Cloud and Tifa, when several shurikens shot into the beast's left eye. It screamed in agony, and Cloud took the distraction to take a swing at the gelatinous bubble. His sword only bounced off it, leaving no mar or scratch on its mucus-like surface.

"Cloud!" Aeris shouted over the din of Barret's gun and Yuffie's swearing. "Get back!"

He fell back quickly as Aeris shot a spear of ice at the bubble. The ice spread quickly as it connected with the surface, and the bubble began to disintegrate under the strength of Aeris' spell. Tifa sunk with it into the water for a moment before appearing above the surface again, spitting. A white-hot bolt of lightning forked over the dragon and it made an agonized noise. The bolt had been too much for it and it sunk into the sea and retreated.

Cloud panted heavily as he and Tifa sloshed back to the shore, thoroughly soaked and exhausted. Yuffie was pulling herself up out of the water, carrying the little girl in her slim arms. "Is she okay?" Aeris was asking as she jogged over to them.

"She's not breathing!"

Tifa, whose skin was blistering where it had made contact with the bubble, looked up in a panic. "This is bad. You don't think she's dead, do you?"

"Priscilla!"

They looked around and saw an old man limping down the path, looking distressed. He looked at the prone girl Yuffie had laid on the soft sand and groaned, letting his walking cane fall to the dirt. He shuffled over to her and cradled her head in his old arms. "She's not breathing," he said, rather calmly, though he looked distraught. "Oh! Young man," he lifted his head to Cloud. "CPR, now!"

"But-" Cloud faltered as he stumbled forward. "I don't remember-"

"Just take a deep breath, and breathe into her." The old man croaked, "Just do it quickly!"

The young ex-SOLDIER dropped to his knees next to her prone form. He quickly did as he was told, and sucked in a huge gulp of air, tilting the child's head slightly, and pushed the breath into her. He had to do this several times, as the others watched on in tense silence, before she suddenly sputtered violently and began coughing. He exhaled in relief as the old man wiped a small tear from the wrinkled corner of his eye. The old man bent forward and scooped the little girl into his arms and walked back up the path, leaving them to watch his retreating form.

Tifa, Yuffie, and Cloud were all thoroughly soaked to the skin and all of them were exhausted from their most recent battle. Yuffie whined loudly that she wanted to take a shower, to wash the dirty water off her, and while Tifa didn't say anything, Cloud could tell she felt the same way. Cloud protested on their rest, however, arguing that Sephiroth could slip through their fingers at any moment because they were already behind him and they had to try the supports, or there would be no telling how long it would take them to get into the base. Yuffie whined louder and more adamantly, and Cloud's annoyance was building.

Conflict was avoided, however, when Aeris stepped closer to them and pointed towards the supports they had debated climbing. When no one noticed anything, Barret questioned her with a terse "What?"

"Do you hear that?" Aeris asked.

"No," he said impatiently.

"There's a humming noise coming from all of the supports."

"So what?" he challenged, becoming annoyed with her ambiguity.

"They're electrified," said Red, suddenly understanding.

Cloud swore and threw up his hands in frustration, and Yuffie smiled in triumph, having won her opportunity to shower. "How the hell are we supposed to get in there?!" Cloud almost shouted, looking ready to tear out his hair with aggravation. His young ninja companion was already trudging up to the cobbled path, and the others were beginning to straggle after her. Aeris bent over to pick up the old man's cane as she passed, giving it a slight twirl as she clasped it with both hands.

Yuffie made a beeline for the inn, and Tifa, Barret, and Red all followed her, agreeing on paying a share for a room. Aeris strayed from the group, however, and made her way to a small two-story house near a small shop. Cloud asked where she was going and she smiled back to him with sparkling eyes. "I'm gonna bring Grandpa his cane."

"How do you know he lives here?" Cloud questioned, gesturing to the house before them.

"I saw him in the front yard when we were walking to the guard house." She smiled brightly again, and trotted up to the front door and knocked lightly.

The old man answered, looking at ease. "Oh, thank you!" he rasped gratefully as Aeris presented him with his tortoise-shell cane. "Priscilla's sleeping now, but would you come by later to see her? I think that she ought to thank you for your heroism." He bid them a temporary farewell.

As they stepped off his rickety old porch, an equally old woman walked towards them. "Young man," she said, "Why don't you come in for a while? I heard what happened, and you've done so much for Priscilla and her grandfather. You must be tired; won't you come in and rest for a bit?"

Aeris touched Cloud's upper arm. "I'll let the others know where you are, I'm sure they won't mind." She waved, and walked over to the hotel, only a few doors down. Cloud followed the woman to her home on the other side of Priscilla's house and invited him in. The old woman ushered him to a bed that was quaintly made with a thinning patchwork quilt. "Now you go get cleaned up, and I'll make you a batch of tea." He tried to refuse her but she wouldn't hear any of it. After a quick shower, Cloud was ushered back to the bed and given a cup of tea and some small biscuits. He was still attempting to refuse her hospitality, but she tutted at him and ignored his manners. He lay back in the bed, and as much as he tried to fight it, the warmth of his shower and the warmth of the tea in his stomach made him drowsy. It wasn't long until his exhaustion caught up with him and drifted to sleep.

_That reminds me…_

You again? Who are you?

_Does it really matter? You'll find out soon, anyway, so don't worry. More importantly, five years ago…_

Five years ago? You mean Nibelheim, don't you?

_When you were in Mt. Nibel, Tifa was your guide, right?_

Yeah, I was surprised to see her.

_Yeah, but where was Tifa other than that?_

What do you mean?

_It was a perfect chance for you to see each other, right? So why couldn't you spend any time together, alone?_

I'm not sure. I can't remember.

_Why don't you ask her?_

I guess so…

_Then get up!_

"Cloud," came the soft voice. "Cloud, wake up."

His eyes opened a crack and Tifa was leaning over him, brushing a stray strand of chocolate hair out of her face. "There's something going on outside."

"Tifa?" he asked thickly, still struggling through the sleepy leftovers of his nap. "When Sephiroth and I went to Nibelheim where were you?"

She seemed surprised at his sudden question of something so off-topic. She hesitated for a split second. "We saw each other, didn't we?"

"The other time." Cloud said quietly, looking at her with his azure irises.

"What other time?" she asked, turning from him. "It was five years ago, I don't remember. Anyway," she didn't give him the chance to question her further. "There's something weird going on outside, you'd better come." She walked out the door, leaving him there on the bed.

He walked out into the sunlit street, adjusting his shoulder armor. He could see the rest of AVALANCHE crowded around Priscilla, who seemed to be in much better health. As he approached the group, Yuffie and Red made room for him in their little circle. "Are you alright, now?" he asked the young girl, as she finally noticed his arrival.

She nodded, her small ponytail swinging behind her. "Thanks for helping me. I'm sorry I mistook you for people from the ShinRa." She looked away sheepishly. "Grandma and Grandpa told me that this beach was beautiful when they were small. After ShinRa built the base on top, the sun stopped shining and the beach got dirty and the water got polluted. I was raised on that story. I hate the ShinRa so much, I could just die!"

All the members of AVALANCHE looked at her with sympathy. Barret looked so particularly moved by her tale, Cloud was afraid for a moment that he might try to recruit her.

"Anyway," She said, looking much more cheerful. "I'll give you my amulet. It's very special, so don't break it." She handed them a small chain with a pendent on it that shone with a fiery light. As Cloud took it from her small hand, he realized that it was a relatively high level summon spell inside a red materia orb.

"What's that music?" Red asked suddenly, his ears swiveling behind his head. "I didn't even notice it until just now."

"It sure is lively." Barret observed, crossing his arms and listening as well.

The music rose and fell in a quick, steady pace, and had a loud brassy voice. It was some military march they were sure they had heard somewhere before, but no one seemed to be able to place the name of the piece. The major flow of the song was lessened as three strident voices picked up the ingrained trio as the percussion marched on. The staccato notes were clear and celebratory; the stately melody strutted at the top of the composition, with a deep brassy bass trudging along behind it.

"They're rehearsing for the new president's reception." Priscilla said matter-of-factly.

"Rufus!" Barret spat.

"Does that mean that Rufus wants to cross the ocean, too?" Aeris put in, her mild voice quizzical.

"That might mean that Sephiroth has already crossed." Tifa added, crossing her slim arms.

Cloud shook his head slightly. "I wouldn't be surprised. He already had a lead on us, and we wasted a lot of time."

"We need to find a way into that base." Red sighed, looking a little frustrated. "Maybe we should look by those supports again. Perhaps there is something we've overlooked."

"No!" Priscilla nearly shouted. "There's a high voltage current running underneath. You'll get hurt if you go near it." Everyone was silent for a moment before she added: "Well, maybe if Mr. Dolphin helps, we could get you up there." She nodded in affirmation. "Yep, come on, follow me!" With that, she raced down towards the beach once more.

They all followed Priscilla down to the beach again, this time, aiming to stay dryer. She ran out into the water, up to her knobby knees and pulled a shiny policeman's whistle out of her sundress pocket. She raised it to her mouth and blew into it, the shrill call loudly echoed off the houses and the roof of airport. The blue shadow of the dolphin came streaking up to the shore line. "Mr. Dolphin can tell if there's a place to climb up that isn't dangerous." Priscilla said, looking immensely proud of herself. She made a wide, windmill-style movement with her arms and the dolphin responded by propelling itself partially out of the water, as if it were standing. The aquamarine mammal fell backwards into the water and shot off towards the supports. Cloud watched its form as it glided gracefully under the water, and then suddenly jumped above the surface in a towering arc. He realized suddenly, that at the peak of the dolphin's leap, the smallest, most rickety little service latter was hanging. He followed its ascent with his ocean-colored eyes and saw that it reached all the way to the runway. He shuddered involuntarily, having never particularly enjoyed heights.

"Well," said Aeris slowly, looking at the ladder herself, "better leave it to Cloud."

"What!?" Cloud exclaimed, looking shocked.

Aeris grinned widely, and put her hand on Red's furry shoulder. The big feline looked equally amused. "Indeed. We are counting on you."

"Hey!" he shouted, in a sort of pleading way, "Wait a second!"

Barret laughed and flatly stated that there was no way he was climbing that thing with only one good arm. He also pointed out that Red only had paws, and making the climb would be very difficult for him. "We'll find another way in. They was saying at the hotel that the code orange is only supposed to be in effect until Rufus gets here. You go find us passage across the ocean and we'll catch up."

Cloud hung his head in resignation, looking put-off at the idea of the horrid little ladder that looked like it wouldn't even be able to support Aeris' slim form. "How am I supposed to get up to that thing?" he asked stiffly.

"I already told you!" Priscilla scolded, looking very serious indeed. "Mr. Dolphin will help. You get out into the water and Mr. Dolphin will take you to the ladder."

"The dolphin will take me to the ladder." Cloud repeated, confusion registering on his face.

"Yes!" She sounded exasperated.

For the second time in only one day, Cloud was slopping through the churning waves. When he was standing in water that reached his belted waist, Priscilla blew on the whistle. He waited for the dolphin to stand out of the water again, but the splash never came. He was starting wonder impatiently when something big bumped into him under the surface. The dolphin was nudging his leg with his pointy bottle-shaped nose. "What's it doing?" Cloud called towards the shore.

"Grab onto him, dummy!" Priscilla shouted back.

He stupidly lurched forward and grabbed onto the dolphin's dorsal fin. Cloud regretted the action instantly. The animal surged forward with a great thrash of its mighty tail, and shot off with the force of a motorbike. Cloud was being dragged behind it and had swallowed a mouthful of salty sea water when he tried to call out in surprise. Sputtering madly, it was all he could to keep a grip on the porpoise's slippery fin as it swam as fast as a gunshot through the water. The dolphin suddenly dove, pulling Cloud beneath the surface and then, in one graceful motion, changed its direction completely and began climbing rapidly.

Cloud heard the surface of the water explode around him as the dolphin shot into the air. Things seemed to be happening in slow-motion. He opened one eye a crack and saw the rickety ladder growing closer, the dolphin's arc peaking, and tiny diamonds of water flying in every direction. With reflexes born of mako and honed sharp with training in SOLDIER, Cloud's gloved hand shot out at precisely the right second and grabbed hold of the ladder's lowest rung. As the dolphin's arc began to fall, his second hand snatched the opposite side. The dolphin fell all the way to the water below, and Cloud's booted feet swung precariously under him. He could vaguely hear AVALANCHE gasp then cheer collectively as he scrambled up the ladder to get solid footing.

The ladder's metal was barely thicker than the width of a pen, and it swayed under his weight. To make matters worse, he was dripping wet and the rusty metal was getting slippery under his hands. He peered over his shoulder and saw the greenish water far below him and the outlines of his friends back on the shore. Shivering slightly as a chilly wind blew around his wet form, he returned his gaze back to the hellish ladder he clung to and slowly, purposefully, began to clamber up the swaying, unstable ladder.


	15. Crossing

Chapter Fifteen

Crossing

The ladder seemed to extend forever, but by keeping his eyes at the runway growing steadily closer, Cloud was able to take his mind off the swaying motion and the howling wind. Finally, gratefully, his gloved hands reached the solid runway and he hoisted himself up onto concrete, stable ground.

Hovering above him, tethered to the runway with thick, creaking rope was the biggest airship Cloud had ever seen. He stood there for a moment, almost breathless at its girth and its power. It had several monstrous propellers on the sides, and was equipped with an axel-rudder that ran parallel to the ground and ended between two traditional tail rudders. Cloud had never been much of a grease-monkey or a technology buff, even in his teens, but this airship evoked great approval from him, and he couldn't fight off simple fantasies of flying it. The ship's name was painted on the side of the hull in red paint accompanied by an image of a scantily clad pin-up girl, airbrushed in a kind of classic nose-art style. The _Highwind_. Cloud sighed longingly, but reluctantly admitted that his current mission was far more pressing than adolescent daydreams about zooming around in a commandeered ShinRa airship. Giving the ship one last tempted look, he jogged towards a doorway just across the way.

Quietly and cautiously as he could, Cloud opened the door and found himself in a stark hallway lit with fluorescent bulbs overhead that shone dully on the scuffed linoleum floor. He began to quickly make his way down the hall, past cases displaying various military achievements and plaques, trying to look as casual as possible. He knew that as long as he didn't do anything stupid, there wasn't any reason he wouldn't be able to blend in with the other military personnel.

He was just about to open a second door when a loud shout behind him made him jump. "Why the hell are you still in street clothes!?"

He whipped around, heart racing madly, and saw a sergeant in crimson positively glowering at him. He tried to sputter a response, but the sergeant snatched Cloud's upper arm and hauled him farther down the hallway. "Get in there!" He roughly jerked him into a locker room where two other soldiers were putting the finishing touches on their blue uniforms.

Cloud spotted a uniform hanging in an open locker, and pulled it out; acting as if he knew it was there the whole time. He began to change, and muttered "Brings back memories," to himself as the other soldiers were excitedly chatting amongst themselves.

"Hey you!" Barked the drill sergeant. "Shut up and hurry up!"

He hastily put on the blue uniform. He remembered wearing this thing every single day when he was an enlisted man, the uniform hadn't changed at all since the last time he put one on. _I was so proud the first time I wore one. I can barely stand wearing this thing now._ The uniform was lightweight, but itchy. He couldn't complain however, because as luck would have it, the uniform fit perfectly. He was dressed, and as the final touch, he pulled the matching blue helmet over his head.

The sergeant, looking him over, gave him the thumbs-up. "You pass inspection. That uniform looks good on you." The commanding officer looked at the other two before returning his scrutinizing gaze back to Cloud. "Get your rifle, soldier. We'll practice the procedure one more time on the way out."

Snatching a rifle he hurriedly followed the others out of the locker room with the sergeant barking orders at them the whole time. Cloud realized with dismay that he and the other two soldiers comprised a rifle line that was to accompany a color guard to see Rufus off after his visit was complete. The sergeant was screaming orders at him and the others, and while the others responded to the harsh commands with precise twirls of their rifles, Cloud was having a good deal of difficulty trying to learn the routine. The superior officer noticed this and chewed him out several times in only a few minutes. After glancing at his watch, the sergeant looked up at them sternly. "All right, the parade's starting, let's get going." He looked pointedly at Cloud. "Don't disgrace yourselves in front of the President."

Cloud followed the others out of the hallway and onto a very empty, very silent street. The soldier to his left raised his gloved hands to his helmeted face in a panic. "No one's here!" he shouted. "Are we late?"

The drill commander whirled on Cloud, teeth bared and looking very much like an angry bear. "It's because of your sorry ass not knowing the drill! Your senior chief is gonna hear about this when this is all through!"

"Captain!" The other guard shouted, pointing at an alley way, "We'll take a short cut!"

They followed him through the twisting alleyway, past several skeevy looking bars and even skeevier looking people. As they pounded onwards, they could hear the muffled din of a huge crowd growing nearer. They nearly ran right out into the parade, but luckily their captain had the sense to stop them before they could make bigger idiots of themselves. "All right," he grunted, shoving the first soldier a bit. "You first, and don't try to go for the front. Sneak in as fast as you can!"

He bolted out of the shadows as a platoon of guards marched onward. As inconspicuously as was humanly possible, he slipped in the last line of the formation, and caught right in with the rest of the soldiers as a sharp whistle blew and all the guards' rifles spun in unison. At the sergeant's second signal, the other guard shot out into the following formation, mirroring his counterparts as they all clasped their firearms. As a third block of soldiers marched past, Cloud felt the captain shove him forward. He stumbled out into daylight and fell in line with the others as fast as he could. He started to panic when he realized the routine they were performing was not the one he had just learned. He struggled to follow along as best he could, trying not to think about how eye-catching he was. He followed the formation closely and they started to break apart to form their final ranks in front of a hug lift rail at the end of the parade route. As they all lined up in two long lines, he ended up front-and-center. The soldier next to him breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Good! We made it!" It was one of the soldiers from the locker room; he had somehow ended up next to Cloud and even more miraculously managed to recognize him through the tiny visor that revealed only the eyes.

"Hey, shut up!" The commander in front of them glowered darkly, as two figures emerged from a covered lift that had descended from a titanic cannon that sat at the top of the city, and pointed out to sea. Rufus and Heidegger stepped into sight, deep in conversation, and hardly taking any notice of the hundred some-odd soldiers standing at rigid attention in front of them.

"Any news?" Rufus was saying, looking irritated. "Why aren't we using the airship?"

Heidegger tried his hardest not to look at the scowling young man. "Preparations are still being made on the long-term airship." He grunted, his huge mustache bristling. "These tests should be completed in about three more days." He laughed mightily, his whole belly bouncing gleefully with the sound.

"Even the Air Force's _Gelinka_?" Rufus queried, looking most displeased.

Heidegger was still laughing, and must not have answered Rufus' question quickly enough, because the young man's countenance fell darkly. "Stop that stupid horse laugh!" he snapped angrily. "Things are changing around here. I'm not my father and I see no reason I should endure that retarded laugh a second longer than I must!" The older, larger man stopped laughing so suddenly, it looked as if he choked. "Is the ship ready, at least?" Rufus barked.

"Y-yes, sir." Affirmed Heidegger obediently, even though his eyebrows knitted together in mutiny. The pair of them returned to the lift, and after Rufus had boarded, Heidegger whirled on the commander and began berating him and his formation. He didn't endure the wrath of Heidegger long, however. The scar-faced director's tirade was cut short when the lift rumbled. He raced over to it as fast as his bulk allowed and climbed on as it started its descent.

The soldiers broke ranks immediately. "What a disaster," said the soldier beside Cloud.

Another soldier agreed wholeheartedly. "Heidegger's been so irritated lately. His job's gotten a lot harder recently. What with the new president and the man in the black cloak roaming the city."

"Man in a black cloak?" Cloud asked, suddenly interested.

"Yeah," a third soldier put in. "He showed up two or three days ago, and killed a couple soldiers."

The first nodded seriously, crossing his arms. "Have you heard the rumors? Some people have been saying that it's General Sephiroth."

The second scoffed. "Don't be stupid, the general's dead. Besides, no one's gotten a good look at him anyway; I bet it's just some AVALANCHE terrorist."

Cloud was about to press for further information, when the commander in red shouted "Attention! Dismissed!" Most of the soldiers headed back towards the end of town Cloud and the other had just come from. "Send-off crew!" barked the commander again. "Rufus will be leaving the docks at 1600, don't be late!"

"We'd better get down there." Said the man next to Cloud, and they were joined by the other soldier that had been in the locker room. They meandered down towards the docks, taking their time because the send off was almost an hour away. Finally, they found their way through a guard gate and made their way onto the docks, just in front of a gangway leading up into a less than luxurious cargo ship. The other two soldiers were caught up in a heated argument over a baseball game they had watched the night before, and Cloud found his attention wandering. He stared up at the ship and tried to identify barrels of mysterious liquid that were pushed up alongside the inner wall.

Just then something caught his eye. Something that didn't match its grey and rusty surroundings. He looked closer, straining his vision and squinting into the cracks between the barrels. There it was again! There was something of considerable size moving around behind the barrels, something orangey. Red's head poked out from behind the containers, looking about at the soldiers. He seemed anxious, but after a moment Cloud realized that he was probably looking for him. Casually, he pulled off the helmet and made a show of wiping sweat off his brow. When the others looked at him, he shrugged and complained of the humidity. His eyes cautiously flicked back in Red's direction and he saw that Red had indeed seen him and resumed his crouching behind the barrels. Cloud put the helmet back on, grinning to himself, just as a three more soldiers made their way to them.

"We're the last of the send off crew," they explained. "The others were put on emergency leave because Heidegger threatened to give them dishonorable discharges for something-or-other."

At five till, they lined up neatly, and Cloud found himself hoping that he wouldn't stand out so much directly in front of Rufus. If the president found him here, he would likely search the ship to find the others and they'd be sitting ducks. No matter how good they were in battle, there were still only six of them in an enemy military base. He didn't have a great deal of time to mull his worries over because at exactly four o'clock a soldier announced the president's arrival.

The color guard marched on either side of the gangway, and then the captain raised his arm in a signal for them to hold their rifles at the ready. "Junon military reception! Begin!" The whistle blew and Cloud dropped and raised the firearm in time with the others. He wasn't doing too badly, he thought happily. Rufus, flanked by Heidegger, walked towards the plank, accompanied by several soldiers in green. Rufus nodded at the color guard, and then to the rifle line, acknowledging their display. They finished with a finale of perfectly executed twirls and spins, and Cloud managed to do them all moderately well. He only fumbled once, when he accidentally caught the rifle wrong and it almost fell out of his hands. Still, they all ended at the same time, and Rufus clapped in a dignified kind of way.

"Well done," he said in a drawling voice. "Keep up the good work for ShinRa Inc."

Rufus turned towards Heidegger as they made to walk into the ship, brushing loose strands of strawberry blonde hair out of his cerulean eyes. "Tell the soldiers here to keep a sharp eye out for Cloud and his friends. Once that rumor gets out that Sephiroth's been here, they won't waste time in paying us a visit."

"We will crush them as soon as we find them," Heidegger said sycophantically.

Rufus' eyes narrowed as he surveyed the military leader in front of him. "I cannot have them getting in my way." There was definitely an edge of threat to his voice.

"Leave it all to me, sir." Heidegger declared, and began belly-laughing.

Rufus sneered and stepped close to Heidegger, so that they were only inches apart. The young president had to look up at the larger man, but the cold fury in his voice was more than enough to intimidate. "I thought I told you to stop that stupid horse-laugh." He turned and marched up the gangway, still followed by the soldiers.

Heidegger turned on Cloud and the other soldiers down on the dock. Cloud stood his ground, not afraid of Heidegger in the slightest. The others sort of scampered away from him as he bellowed obscenities and threatened every single one of them a dishonorable discharge for made up reasons, his face as red as a boiled beet. The huge man eventually gave up, panting in exhaustion, and turned to waddle up the gangplank, still looking quite angry.

"That was close," one of the men said, shaking his head.

"He's been so edgy lately. It's driving me mad!" said another. "I bet it's because he's been assigned to lead the investigation on Hojo."

Cloud turned to them. "What investigation?"

"Oh, Professor Hojo just up and left a few days ago, leaving a letter of resignation."

"Attention! Dismissed!" came the voice of the captain.

Cloud made to follow the others down the dock, but as they turned their backs, he darted up the gangway and into the cargo hold of the ship. Red was still hiding out behind the barrels, and Cloud joined him, taking off his restrictive helmet. After rushed but sincere salutations, they both agreed that it would be safest for them to hide out, at least until the ship had set sail. The two of them crouched, hidden in the dark corner, as Red recapped Cloud on his group's progress through the base.

It took forever for the ship to finally leave Junon docks. Cloud had just finished informing Red that they were several days behind Sephiroth, and that he hadn't the foggiest on where the general was headed next, when a low rumbling emanated from the depths of the engine. The engine was earsplitting, exceptionally loud within the metal cargo hold. Cloud replaced his helmet and told the large feline that he was going to check up on the others.

He padded quietly along the metallic corridors of the ship, his footfalls echoing. He opened a door out of the hold and into the main bowels of the ship. There were crates littered about in no particular order, and a large stairway heading up onto the main deck. There were only three deckhands visible to Cloud; one guarding a large steel door, a sailor taking inventory of the cargo, and a sailor that was crouched between a few crates. The sailor on the floor looked up at him as he started to pass by and Cloud realized that it was Yuffie, and she looked awful.

Her pale skin had a nasty green tinge around the cheeks and she had deep, dark bags under her eyes. She looked up to him miserably, "I…freaking… hate… ships." she said morosely, as she gagged slightly. "Do you have any medicine?"

He rifled through his pockets, but the only thing he could find was a tranquilizer that was intended for use against monster poisons and things of that nature. She snatched it out of his hand without speaking, swallowed it and crouched back down to the floor, clutching her stomach. "Aeris is over there, why don't you go bug her?" she said desperately.

Cloud did just that. He was admittedly a little bit disgusted and had no qualms about taking Aeris as company over the ill ninja. Walking over to the sailor with the inventory clipboard, he smiled slightly as he noticed that it was, in fact, Aeris. Her hair had been wound into a very tight bun that rested at the base of her skull, directly under her crisp, white sailor hat. In an official-sounding voice he asked her how her work was coming along. She stiffened visibly and turned to face him with a rigid salute that made her look downright adorable. She seemed to recognize him through the visor and relaxed, although she held a delicate hand over her chest to emphasize her sudden panic. "You scared me!" she scolded softly, punching him playfully in the upper arm.

"Sorry," he said, smiling broadly underneath his helmet. "How's everything going?"

"Everything's fine," she muttered softl, swiping some of her bangs back under her cap. "We were able to get through the guard post a little while after you went up the ladder. Barret heard some civilians talking about Rufus' send-off and we figured that's where you'd be." She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. "Hey, did you see that airship?"

"You mean that big, giant one?" Cloud asked. Her smile was contagious, and he found himself unable to stop himself from grinning back. "I heard it was huge, but I didn't think it'd be that big."

"Yeah, it was really something else, wasn't it?" She looked dreamily at a stain on the metal wall for a moment. "I wish I could ride it sometime. I've seen so many neat things since we've left Midgar."

Cloud laughed lightly at her comment. "Be careful what you wish for. If we were to take a ride on that ship, it might not be a very nice one. It's a ShinRa ship and if we're all on it, that means we were caught."

She looked back at him with a frown, "Oh, shut up." she said, wagging a finger under his nose. "I'm not stupid! You know what I meant." He shook his head in defeat and left her to carry on. She saluted him again and continued copying down the shipping numbers on the crate in front of her.

He made his way to the upper deck, in hopes of finding Tifa and Barret. He wanted to establish a visual contact with the rest of AVALANCHE, just to be sure. It wasn't that he didn't believe Red, Cloud just felt that it was his duty as a leader to touch base with everyone.

He spotted Tifa almost immediately. She was up on a sentry post, with a pair of binoculars looking out to sea. Her hair, like Aeris, had been twisted in a bun and her bangs had been tucked under her cap. Unfortunately, Tifa's curvaceous figure was difficult to hide, even in the baggy sailor's uniform she donned. She heard him climbing up the ladder to the tower before he reached her, and she saluted him. "Yes, sir! Everything quiet!" She reported in a would-be boy's voice. Cloud identified himself, and she relaxed, her voice returning to its normal octave. "Wearing these uniforms and spending time with ShinRa troops really made me remember how much I hate wars and military stuff. The war itself kills people and things you love, and then the soldiers fighting are taken away from the people and places they want to be near for some glorified political ideal." She sighed sadly. "I kinda wish it would all just disappear."

He didn't reply, but instead followed her gaze back out to sea. He knew that she had a point, but there was some violence that could be justified. In his mind, he felt that people like Sephiroth, Hojo, and the former ShinRa president could've made the world a better place by leaving it sooner. He also knew, however, that Tifa had lost almost as much as he had during her life, and that she had every right in the world to hate war and soldiers. Especially since it had been the ShinRa's wars and soldiers that had taken from her. He decided he wouldn't voice his contrasting views with her just yet. Perhaps they could have a meaningful discussion about it in a more relaxed environment.

He patted her on the shoulder, and asked her if she'd seen Barret anywhere. "Not recently," she said, eyebrows knitting together. "He was over near the main control room last time I saw him." And then she added as an afterthought; "Lay low, okay? We're not expected at the dock in Costa del Sol for another five hours."

"Okay, stay safe." he said quietly to her, and turned to retreat down the ladder.

"Uh… Yes, sir!" She said, snapping into another salute. "I'll continue my watch, sir!" She giggled melodiously and turned back to face the ocean.

He sort of mindlessly wandered the ship, taking in the fresh air and wanting badly to take off his helmet. He refrained though, since if they were caught here there would be no where to run. He made his way around the uppermost decks of the ship, trying to find the main control room. Cloud briefly wished that he had spent more time on ships during his stint in the military; he could never remember what side was port and which was starboard. He knew that the back of the boat was called an aft and the front was the stern. But that couldn't be right, he thought, then what side was the bow? Giving up on his petty musings, he continued down the polished wooden deck.

To his right, as he was heading to the front (or stern or bow, whatever) of the ship, a single, miniscule deck was raised above the other. It was just big enough to house the radio equipment a soldier was leaning over. It had a spectacular view of the rest of the ship, and was the tallest point of the vessel, besides Tifa's watch tower. He debated climbing up the steep stairs to it. Taking a good look around would be helpful, and maybe he would be able to spot Barret. On the other hand, Cloud was unfamiliar with the soldier up there, and knew that it was of utmost importance not to raise any suspicions just yet. Even as he was mentally debating, he noticed that the soldier kept looking in his direction. Alarmed that he was standing out without even noticing it, Cloud hastily started to get a move on, but the soldier beckoned him.

He turned hesitantly and made his way up the stairs. The soldier stood up, and tottered slightly while doing so. As Cloud watched him, he noticed there was something very odd about the way he moved… something didn't seem natural. A deep, masculine voice rumbled from within the helmet. "Cloud? It's me, Red."

"Red!?" Cloud almost burst out laughing. "What on earth are you doing up here?"

"I couldn't stand being cooped up in the cargo hold any longer. I simply had to come up for some fresh air," he answered seriously, his voice completely devoid of humor.

Cloud chuckled to himself. "Did you get that thing on all by yourself?"

Red looked highly affronted, and made an impatient snorting sound. Even though Red spoke like a college professor and held a wisdom that outshone the rest of them, he was feline. Cloud never really appreciated this fact until that very moment. Cats abhor being laughed at, and even ones that speak still flatten their ears and glare at you when you make that mistake. Raising his arms to show he meant no offense, he tried to sound as serious as he could when he asked where he could find Barret.

"I'm not sure." Red said moodily, crouching back down to the radio equipment. "I only just got up here." He paused for a second, and then added, "He's wearing a sailor's uniform, not a soldier's, so he should be quite easy to spot."

"Okay," Cloud nodded, "Tifa said she saw him by the main control room last, so I'll go check it out."

"Keep us updated." Red called after him as he made his way back down to the main deck.

The bridge controls weren't difficult to locate, and, just as Tifa had surmised, Barret was indeed there. He was, oddly enough, crouched in front of the port (or starboard) side bridge windows and was peeking in, glaring menacingly at two shadows beyond the green-tinted glass. He was wearing the white sailor uniform that Red had mentioned, but it was far too small for his enormous frame. The little red necktie barely fit around his great neck and was loosened so much that the tails were barely more than tiny triangles of red fabric poking out from under the collar band.

At Cloud's arrival he stood up straight and went back to painting part of the wall with dingy paint that was the color of dust. Cloud identified himself, and Barret threw the paintbrush unceremoniously back into the paint and resumed his peeking. "What's your problem?" Cloud asked, a little annoyed at the look of impatience of Barret's dark face.

He pointed to the window, his hand spattered with grey paint. "It's Rufus and Heidegger." Barret's face fell severely even as he said their names. "They're this close but I can't do a damn thing." He clenched his jaw in anger and his eyes narrowed.

"Not yet," Cloud said, trying to pacify him a bit. Barret was headstrong and stubborn and if he wasn't mollified, he was liable to do something stupid. "We'll get our chance, though."

Heidegger's frame shuddered with laughter, which only seemed to further annoy Barret. The shape of Rufus joined in a moment later, but their voices were unheard over the wind and the engine. "How can he?" the dark man sputtered, openly angered now. "Goin' off and laughing like that! It's because of him! Because of him, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie…" He trailed off into silence as Cloud, more urgently, tried to calm him down. Barret suddenly stood up, pushing Cloud away. "God!" he shouted, "I can't take it anymore! I'm gonna settle things here and now!" Alarmed, Cloud regained his footing and grabbed Barret's upper arm, trying to stop him from barging around the corner and revealing them.

Without warning, a loud siren blared to life, echoing all over the ship causing both men to freeze in alarm. "Emergency alert!" the metallic voice called. "Reports of a suspicious character found onboard. Those not on detail are ordered to search the ship. Report when found. I repeat-"

"Oh fuck!" Barret spat, his eyes wide with worry.

"C'mon," Cloud urged, pulling him away from the bridge. "We gotta get out of here." They half ran, half walked back around the corner and on the main deck. When they reached the open area however, they saw a group of sailors standing around in the corner. He realized that it was AVALANCHE by Red's unnatural upright movement, and they sprinted over to them. "Is everyone all right?" Cloud asked breathlessly.

"What the-?" Tifa's eyes were wide. "We're all here."

"You don think that the suspicious character is Sephiroth?" Barret asked tentatively.

Tifa bit her lip. "Oh god, you think?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"C'mon," Cloud said, pulling off his helmet. "Let's go."

Yuffie moaned as the others followed Cloud to the main stairwell that would take them back to the bowels of the ship. They walked on in silence, meeting no other soldiers or sailors as they traveled back towards the cargo hold. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, however, Aeris tripped over something on the ground. Turning around, she gasped loudly and pointed. A soldier lay prone on the floor, a pool of blood growing steadily underneath him. Yuffie pointed and behind him, on a small door, and they saw a large splatter of blood and then a smeared trail downwards, revealing how the soldier came to be in his current state.

Still silent, Cloud unsheathed his sword and signaled the others to do so. He grasped the metallic latch on the door and slowly turned it, feeling as though someone was doing the same to his insides. Taking only a deep breath to steady his nerves, he flung the door open the rest of the way and leapt into the room.


	16. The Shadows

**Author's Notes: **

I've actually got just a few things to say before this chapter gets underway. Firstly, I want to let all of you know that I start my only major deviation from the plot in this chapter. This will only involve Cait Sith. Instead of him joining the party in their first visit to the Gold Saucer, I'm going to have Cait Sith permanently join the group at the beginning of Disc 2, when he rescues Barret and help secures the _Highwind _from the ShinRa. My reasoning for this is that I just don't like the way Cait Sith would function within the group in a traveling situation. So instead of trying to ignore him as they travel through jungles and such, I've just decided to leave him out until he can hang out on the _Highwind _and stay away from combat. This won't affect major plot events like the Temple of the Ancients or anything like that. I just wanted to let you all know now so I don't get people accusing me of not following the story.

Just a quick note, comments and constructive critiques are always welcome, but please don't nitpick. It drives me crazy, and it's a waste of everyone's time. Nitpicking is when someone leaves a review that neither offers a polite critique or a response as a reader. Nitpicking is pointless and it insults my intelligence. Just because Cloud doesn't know how to properly give CPR doesn't mean I don't. Thanks for understanding.

Chapter Sixteen

The Shadows

AVALANCHE burst through the tiny doorway, weapons drawn and faces grim. A single figure was silhouetted against the far wall, standing still as death. Cloud, a pace or so ahead of the others, could scarcely hear their footfalls as they spread out behind him over the mad pounding in his chest. He couldn't make out the figure properly, but then several things happened in the course of only a couple of seconds. Someone said "Is it Sephiroth!?" behind him, while, simultaneously, the figure slumped to the ground and Cloud recognized the maroon clothing as part of a ShinRa uniform.

"No," he barked, still waiting for a surprise attack. "That's not Seph-"

"After a long sleep…" A voice suddenly split the air, making them all freeze where they stood. "The time has come…"

"Oh my god!" one of the girls gasped, sounding panicked, "Look!"

The tall, graceful form of Sephiroth materialized out of thin air in a _whoosh_ of black cloak and silver hair. AVALANCHE collectively tensed.

"You're still alive?" Cloud sputtered in awe. He knew that Sephiroth had to have been alive, he had seen the evidence and heard the accounts, but the old hatred and fear were boiling over like he had never experienced.

Sephiroth's unfocused gaze sharpened on him. His jade irises narrowed, glowing with mako, and his expression blank. "Who are you?" he asked slowly, but with purpose.

"You don't remember me?" Cloud sounded shocked and mad. He clenched his sword a little tighter. There was a loud fuzzy ringing in his ears, and his heart, still pounding furiously, was threatening to leap out his throat.

Sephiroth smirked ever so slightly, the rest of his face so still it could have been made of marble. "Cloud," he laughed softly to himself.

The laugh was the same insane chuckling from five years ago, full of real humor and amusement. "What are you thinking!?" Cloud shouted, his anger winning out. "What are you doing!?" When Sephiroth only continued to laugh, Cloud gritted his teeth in fury. "Sephiroth!"

The bemused chuckling only grew in intensity as Sephiroth slowly looked up at him through his slightly untidy bangs. "The time" he said, "has come."

He flung his arms out to either side of him, a sudden movement that startled everyone, and a bright white light burst forth so suddenly, Cloud and the others were momentarily blinded. Before the spots had left their vision, a huge, ear-splitting shriek shattered the silence. Sephiroth had vanished, leaving a towering, blue-skinned monster in his wake.

Aeris, who had ended up near the back of the group, suddenly clapped her hands over her ears. The Planet cried out in terror so loudly and without any warning that she was greatly taken by surprise. It was the monster, she realized, that was causing the Planet distress. She didn't have time to really think, however, as the battle went underway. The monster lashed out with a huge, clawed fist, causing Aeris to trip over Red in an effort to get away.

AVALANCHE responded to the surprise attack as fast as they could. Tifa, Red, Yuffie, and Cloud all charged the beast, while Barret and Aeris hung back slightly to pelt the horrid being with bullets and blasts of fire, respectively. Tifa's brutal attacks didn't have much of an effect on the giant monster; her expertly-executed kicks weren't even breaking skin. Red, darting about nimbly, was alternately sinking his teeth into the sickly-colored hide and shooting poison spells at it, which seemed to bounce off harmlessly as Yuffie threw sharp projectiles wherever an opening presented itself. Cloud was taking sword swipes and stabs wherever he could get them in, causing the most damage of the three of them.

The beast was a strange one; a monstrous body that didn't seem to have legs (even though it was obviously not having trouble moving around) that tapered into a very female torso with huge fleshy wings and great clawed hands. Cloud suddenly realized that he recognized the mutilated female torso. "Jenova!" he spat, firing a blast of lightning at it.

"What!?" Barret roared over the din. "_That's_ Sephiroth's mom? What the fu-"

"Barret!" Tifa yelled, pointing madly.

He was cut off by a blast of energy; the burst exploded when it hit the ground, missing him by mere inches and sending everyone nearby flying. Red leapt forward and sunk his massive teeth into the soft side of Jenova, who screamed in pain and fury. It raised a massive arm in attack, Yuffie shouted a warning, but wasn't quick enough. Jenova brought her hand swinging down and caught Red full in the side, sending him skidding across the ground and into the far wall. He tried to stand up, but fell, unable to support his own weight.

Forced towards the back and without much ability to fight, Aeris ran to her feline companion and cast curative magic as quickly as she could. Intending to finish off Red, Jenova shifted and lumbered towards them. Realizing that it had the opportunity to finish off two victims instead of one, it roared triumphantly and shot a gargantuan beam of sheer energy at them. Separated and on the other side of the beast, Cloud and the others cried out in alarm.

Something inside Aeris was compelling, commanding her to stand. She stood to her full height as the blast of white-hot energy hurtled towards her and her companion. Raising both her hands, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her materia and the knowledge and spirits within it. A huge _bang_ echoed across the small cargo hold and a colossal ball of crimson fire shot from Aeris' outstretched hands. It collided with Jenova's beam with an earth shattering explosion, decimated it, and flew directly into the deformed face of the beast.

Jenova howled in agony and, evidently taken by surprise, disappeared in flash of white light. Aeris fell to her knees, exhausted and a little amazed with herself. She had always been adept with materia, but this was an entirely unique experience. The others ran to her, Cloud in the lead. "Are you alright?" he asked, breathless and sweaty.

"Yes, I'm-"

"What the hell was that!?" Yuffie demanded, looking shocked and impressed. "I didn't know you guys had mastered materia!"

"We don't." Cloud said, annoyed at the young ninja's lack of concern for Aeris.

Aeris, standing up and brushing dust off her, smiled thinly. Her face seemed worried and relieved at the same time. "I'm not really sure what happened. I mean, we were cornered, and Red was hurt…" she trailed off, unsure of herself. "Somehow I just knew that I had to do something to protect Red."

"And I thank you for it." The feline said, from the ground. Again he tried to stand, but he slumped and fell into the wall after trying to put weight on a front paw.

"Is it broken?" Tifa asked. She had always had a soft spot for animals, and even if Red wasn't quite an animal on the inside, she still had a hard time watching him in pain.

Red shook his head, and sat back down on his haunches. "No, I don't think so. I can still move it, there's just a great deal of pain."

"Yo, Cloud." Barret said, coming up behind them. "That thing was Jenova?"

Tifa flipped her hair over her shoulder and wiped sweat off her brow with the back of her wrist. "We saw it in the ShinRa building, remember? Only now it's got a head."

"I don't know what the hell's going on." Yuffie said flatly. "How can that thing be General Sephiroth's mom?"

"He said it was time for something." Tifa shrugged. "I don't really get the connection with Jenova, either."

"Sephiroth wanted to go and search for the Promised Land so he could take over the Planet." Cloud answered, looking grim. "I don't know how the two are related, but that's what he told me in Nibelheim, five years ago. Then he reappears and murders President ShinRa to keep _him_ from getting to the Promised Land. Somehow he's got Jenova with him and he's trying to get to the Promised Land with her. That's all we know for sure…"

They stood silently for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts and worries. For Aeris, Jenova had birthed a new strain of worry. The combination of Sephiroth and Jenova was what the Planet was worried about. With Sephiroth's power and total disregard for life he was a massive threat in his own right. She frowned more severely when the question of Jenova's role in the equation came up. The monster was an enigma, but Aeris knew it was more than just any instinct-driven, wild monster. There were monsters roaming every corner of the Planet, and yet, Jenova was the cause of the Planet's fear. What made Jenova different? How did it affect the end of the equation? She looked briefly to her friends and wondered what she should do. She wanted to tell them. That Jenova was more than some beast, that the Planet was warning her… but somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to open her mouth. Perhaps it was the old fear of her powers, she wasn't sure, but somehow, something was making it impossible for her to tell them.

Suddenly the ongoing drone of the engine shifted pitches as the loudspeakers behind them blared to life. "Attention: All dock crew please report to deck seven. The ETA is approximately ten minutes."

"Shit," Barret swore, looking around cautiously. "We better get the hell out of here."

"Good idea," Cloud agreed and they left the cargo hold. They found a deserted galley towards the aft of the ship and since no crew would be expecting a meal during the docking procedure, it was safe enough for the moment. Red, who was now walking with a severe limp, made a small noise of alarm when he glanced down at his hurt paw. It had swollen to a tremendous size and looked quite tender.

"I'm afraid that this looks serious" he said. "I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with you once we leave the port."

Tifa bent over to examine the joint. "Well, you said it wasn't broken, right? Then it should only take a couple of days to bring the swelling and the pain down. What do you think Aeris?"

The young woman bent over as well, gingerly lifting the paw in her own slim hand. "Well, it's all bruised up, but I don't think that it's even a sprain. I'm just glad that my spell was quick enough to counteract any serious damage."

"In any case, I don't want to cause you any delays," Red told them. "I told you I was only going as far as my home. The canyon I was born in is only a several days' journey from Costa del Sol. I could spend a few days in the city, then when my leg is fit for travel-"

Aeris looked positively shocked. "No! We couldn't just leave you behind! We're a team, we should travel all together."

"Besides," Tifa added, glancing back towards Cloud. "You're wanted by the ShinRa now. Traveling alone is really dangerous; even if you only want to get home."

Red looked like he was about to argue, but Cloud, who was absently picking at a thread hanging off his sleeve, spoke up. "We need to rest up in Costa del Sol for at least a night anyway; I guess it wouldn't be a big deal to stay one extra day." Then as an afterthought, he added: "It's going to be difficult to keep pace with Sephiroth when he can just disappear. I guess it's not going to be as easy as just chasing him."

Aeris grinned broadly and patted Red on the nose. "See? Then it's decided! We're going to rest up and then travel together."

"God, it'll be so nice to stay in Costa del Sol!" Yuffie sighed, having stripped herself of her sailor-suit and was now brushing the lint off her forest green tank-top.

"Why's that?" Cloud asked, before he could stop himself.

Yuffie's face was split by a huge, mischievous grin. "You've never been there before? It's a resort town!"

Tifa smiled wistfully. "Let's go stay at a nice hotel!"

"One with a pool!" Aeris put in, clapping her hands together.

"A beachside pool!" Yuffie laughed, pumping her fist in the air.

"But I don't have a bathing suit."

"We'll have to go shopping then."

"Yes!"

Their excited conversation carried on like this for several minutes. Barret and Cloud looked at each other quizzically. "This is gonna put a dent in our funds." They burst out laughing.

Getting off the ship inconspicuously was easier than they had hoped. Everyone had changed back into their usual clothes and was now congregated on the pier. Yuffie, in particular, looked ready to sprint up the walk and down to the beach.

"God _damn_!" Barret swore, wiping sweat off his face. "It's fucking hot here."

"Quite." Red said simply, panting slightly.

"But I feel better after getting rid of that stupid sailor suit," he confided to the feline, but Aeris, standing nearby, giggled loudly.

"That's too bad, Barret," she said, smiling, "I thought they were cute!"

"Cute!?" he sputtered.

"About as cute as he could be when he looked like a bear wearing a marshmallow." Cloud said quietly from the rear of the group.

"What the-" Barret shouted, whirling on the smaller man as everyone burst out in fits of laughter. "I'ma knock you upside yo spikey-assed head-"

He was cut off by Yuffie, who had resorted to doing a kind of impatient little dance. "Can we go now? Let's go find lunch!"

Cloud rolled his eyes, causing her to stick out her tongue. "Let's find a resort first, so we can at least put our stuff somewhere for a while." They all agreed and set off down a smaller cobble-stoned path towards a street lined with hotels and restaurants. After stubbornly passing up several extravagant looking resorts, Cloud pointed to a smaller, but still elegant hotel whose front walk was lined with lush greenery. They followed the sidewalk up to the main lobby, which had a beautiful white marble floor. Securing two rooms wasn't difficult at all and they had even ended up on the same floor, albeit several doors down. "Okay," Cloud was saying as he turned back towards the others, "It'll be me, Barrett, and Red in one room and Tifa, Aeris, and Yuffie in the other." He handed them their slim little room key. "Let's go drop off our stuff, and check out the rooms."

The identical hotel rooms were much nicer than they had pictured. The floors were covered in plush chocolate-colored carpet that gave the room a very stylish feel and the huge windows opened up to the surf. Yuffie had immediately raced in and turned the thermostat all the way down and began digging through the desk to find the concierge services guide so she could decide whether she wanted room service or to go to the hotel restaurant. In his own room, Barret had flopped down on one of the beds and flipped on the TV. The beach did sound nice, but he was just too worn out to go shopping for swimsuits. He flipped through the channels until he came across a show about fancy cars. _What the hell,_ he thought, _might as well just hang out._

Still limping, Red stretched out in front of the window, directly in a patch of sunlight that made the carpet look almost white. "I guess there's really no point in asking," Cloud said to him after a moment, "but you don't want to go to the beach?"

Red actually laughed and shook his head. "I hate swimming and I hate the heat."

"Alright, I guess I'm going with the girls then, I'll see you guys later." Cloud stripped off his extra pieces of armor and ambled out the door with his hands jammed into his pockets.

"Yo, Red?"

"What?"

"Let's order room service."

As it turned out, Yuffie was an absolute drill sergeant to shop with. She dragged all three of them into a store that sold beach wear and began ordering them about. "Tifa's a classic kind of beauty," she was saying, pointing at the former bartender. "She should get a dark color; and probably a two-piece because she's got big curves. Aeris is innocent and pretty," she went on, whipping her arm about in Aeris' direction. She was a good sport and stood smiling broadly as Yuffie dolled out fashion orders. "Light colors would look best, but you always wear pink, so find something different. I, on the other hand, am total babe with a slim build, so I will be finding a two piece."

Cloud tried to ignore her and wandered towards a rack of men's swimsuits. They were all pretty much the same, just different colors. He picked up a pair of navy blue trunks, two cheap beach bags bearing the words "Costa del Sol" in curvy letters, sunscreen, flip-flops, and an armload of noisily colored beach towels. He turned to find Tifa and the others, but ended up face to face with Yuffie. "No," she barked as she looked at his shopping.

"No what?" Cloud asked, confused.

"Get rid of those trunks, they're ugly."

He bristled in annoyance. "They're plain blue, what's wrong with them?"

"They're morose-looking and they clash with your eyes. You should get black."

"What's the difference!?" he said, growing more annoyed.

"Black would look much better," Aeris said innocently from behind the teenager.

"Ugh!" He groaned, gritting his teeth. "Fine!"

They paid for the shopping and were walking back out through the cobbled mall, towards the beach. Cloud rolled his eyes after examining the receipt; women's swimsuits were expensive. He supposed it wasn't too big a deal, though, how often would they be able to relax, anyway? Time off was a commodity they didn't have. The walk down to the beach was relatively short, but the position of the buildings made it difficult to see the shore except in small glimpses as they passed through the small street. When they finally stepped out onto the main boardwalk, they realized the wait was well worth it. The beach was gorgeous. The girls raced off to change and Cloud was left to set up and their towels on a several loungers. Scoping out the area he saw that there was a bar behind them and small shops that lined the boardwalk. He noticed that there were even some vendors strolling the beach, trying to sell sarongs and hats to sunbathers. The hotel was only just down the street, too, so they could really stay all day if they wanted to.

The girls came back after only a few minutes. Cloud, his face reddening, privately forgave Yuffie for being so demanding. All three girls looked gorgeous in their new suits. Aeris had found a sky blue one piece that was far from looking frumpy. Her petite form was accentuated so well that Cloud found himself eyeing hips that he hadn't previously noticed. Even Yuffie looked cute in the two piece she bought. The bottom was cut into something she had called a "boy short", and the violently pink hibiscus flowers printed on the fabric contrasted with the coffee brown trim. What had really caused Cloud to burn red, though, was Tifa. He had the distinct impression that Yuffie and Aeris had both been carefully watching his reaction to her as they had come back to the loungers. Tifa had a full, curvaceous figure that could drive any man crazy, and clad in a skimpy black bikini, she looked amazing. Cloud had admittedly gotten a little used to her because she liked to run around in a miniskirt and tank top most of the time, but the bikini was a totally different story. He didn't want her to catch him, though; she would realize immediately what he was looking at and think he was a pig, so he forced himself to tear his eyes off her cleavage and quickly walk up to the restrooms to change.

They did, in fact, end up staying all day. They'd done so much swimming that they felt more than a little bedraggled and the game of volleyball they had played earlier had left them sore, but in good spirits. They had bought several drinks each at the bar, ate shrimp at a cabana grill, poked at little crabs in tide pools, and got severely sunburnt. Even Cloud had to admit that they had a great deal of fun, and in his own mind, watching Tifa frolic around in a bikini all day was nothing to scoff at. Aeris seemed to realize what he had been looking at though, because, more than once, she had caught his eye and grinned widely.

They were on their way back to the hotel, tired and still a little bit damp, when a crowd of giggling women caught their attention. They were all crowded around a lounger and an umbrella, blocking out the person who was lying down. They all seemed to be simpering and competing for attention, however, and all in all thoroughly excited to see whomever was down there.

"Maybe it's some celebrity or something." Yuffie said, craning to get a better look.

They walked closer to the group, as it was right next to the white staircase that would take them up to the boardwalk. Unable to quell their curiosity, they craned to see that mystery person all the way up the stairs. All four of them caught a glimpse of him as a several women shifted about.

"Did you just see…?" Tifa started, eyes wide with surprise.

Aeris looked immediately nervous. "It couldn't be, I mean, here?"

"Who?" Yuffie demanded, not recognizing the pale scientist lounging in the sun.

"Hey!" Cloud shouted down to the cluster below him. Aeris and Tifa both jumped in surprise and watched him as he strode up to the stair railing to glower down at the ShinRa executive.

The women fell silent and looked at Hojo, waiting to see what he would do. Hojo's greasy eyebrows furrowed under his prescription sunglasses. "I'm busy right now." He barked without looking up to see who was accosting him.

"Hojo!" Cloud demanded, gripping the railing with damp palms.

He removed the sunglasses and rolled his eyes in annoyance upon recognizing them. "Oh, it's you," he said flatly. "It's been a while."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, that should be obvious, shouldn't it?" Hojo said sarcastically, replacing his glasses. "I'm getting a tan."

"Answer me!" Cloud growled through gritted teeth. "You know what I mean!"

The scientist looked at him calculatingly for a moment before turning away again. "I believe we are both after the same goal," he said quietly.

"You mean Sephiroth?" Tifa asked from Cloud's side. She looked equally suspicious and annoyed to see him.

Hojo lowered his glasses to look at them. "Did you see him?" He could tell by their reactions that they had. He chuckled to himself. "I see that you did." His laughter escalated into a wheezy giggle.

"What's so funny, slime ball?" Cloud asked harshly, losing interest in the non-confrontational scientist.

"I've just remembered a particular hypothesis," he smiled, showing his yellowed teeth. "Have you ever had the feeling something was calling to you? Or that you had to visit a certain place?"

"If you're talking about Sephiroth," Cloud snarled, "I'll follow him wherever he goes to kill him and put an end to all of this."

Hojo's beady eyes turned to Aeris, who was standing silently behind Tifa. "Oh, the Ancient!"

"The least you can do is remember my name," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"I see."

"Hojo," she started, looking determined to continue even though she looked like she would rather not. "Is Sephiroth an Ancient? Is Jenova an Ancient? Do we really share the same blood?" Tifa, Cloud, and Yuffie all looked at Aeris; her questions were not ones they had anticipated.

"Head West," Hojo said tersely. "And leave me alone before I call the police."

Rufus paced about his office in a fury. The presidential suite he had been provided with was enormous, but to the young ruler, the lavish furnishings and ample space were nothing. He had just received a call from the front desk that Heidegger had received his message and was on his way up at the moment. Reeve Tuesti was on his way, too, Rufus reminded himself. After he was done berating Heidegger for the AVALANCHE debacle on the ship, he was to discuss Reeve's newest mission.

There was a knock at the door that snapped the young man out of his mental tirade. "Tseng!" he barked, "Get the door." A man stood up from the shadows behind Rufus' desk and nodded curtly, his jet black hair moving in a silky sheet behind him. Tseng walked purposefully around the corner of the office and to the door out in the entry way. Rufus heard the door and the following footsteps. However, when he turned around he saw Reeve. "You're early." Rufus said, eyeing him coldly.

"Uh, yes sir." Reeve nodded, smiling nervously. "The chopper pilot had another assignment after mine and he couldn't wait."

"Well, sit down." Rufus ordered dismissively. "I've got a meeting with Heidegger first."

Reeve did so, and casually flipped open his phone to keep himself occupied. It was only a few more minutes, however, before the door sounded again and Tseng went to answer it. He returned a moment later followed by a stony-faced Heidegger. He seemed instantly irritated that Reeve would be party to the confrontation that was no-doubtedly about to happen. Reeve closed his cell phone; this was going to be enjoyable.

"I heard that Sephiroth was onboard," Rufus said directly.

"Yes."

"And it seems that Cloud and his buddies were there, too," he continued.

"Yes."

Rufus' cerulean eyes narrowed under his strawberry blond eyebrows. "You messed up big this time. Every one of them slipped through your fat fingers."

"I'm ashamed of myself, sir," Heidegger said through gritted teeth.

"You had better be!" Rufus snapped with a raised voice. "Do _something_, you useless pig. I'll be expecting results. Now, get out of my face."


	17. Stale Wounds

Chapter Seventeen

Stale Wounds

Cloud had rushed back to the hotel room to inform Barret and Red of their encounter with Hojo and the new lead they now had. Bursting into the room, he found it deserted, save for Red, who was curled up in a ball under the window. At the sound of the door, Red cracked open an eye to stare unblinkingly at Cloud's form.

"Where's Barret?" he asked, seeming to lose steam.

After yawning mightily, Red answered, "He went shopping."

"Shopping?" Cloud looked a little taken aback. "For what?"

"I don't really know. He just said he'd be back in a while. You seem excited, has anything happened?"

Cloud immediately dove into retelling his encounter with Hojo to Red. The feline was highly interested to hear this, and snarled angrily that the scientist had been lucky that he hadn't been there. Before Cloud could finish, Barret had returned, and the young ex-SOLDIER had to start at the beginning all over again. Barret, too, seemed highly affronted that he hadn't been there.

"So we're going to act on tip Hojo gave us?" Barret asked, sounding skeptical.

"Well, I mean, technically he's not with the ShinRa anymore and-" Cloud started.

"Wait, what?"

Cloud ran a hand through his massively unkempt hair. "When I was in Junon, I heard that he resigned."

"Affiliated with the ShinRa or not," Red said slowly, "Hojo is a sick and twisted human. I doubt that he has anything to offer us."

"True that," Barret nodded.

"It's the only lead we have." Cloud said, feeling a bit more defensive than was necessary. "We will find something; besides, the only way we really can go is west. We don't have a boat or anything to go around the coast of the continent."

They were silent for a long moment, then Barret suddenly perked up noticeably. "Hey, you guys gotta check this out." He stood up and went towards the door, where his battered drab vest was hanging on the knob. Reaching inside, he pulled out a plastic shopping bag. "I went down to some electronics store and I got us these!" He pulled out five identical, tiny boxes bearing the logo of a tiny sunset. "These are some really bitchin' little gadgets, they do everything. They were selling them in a family plan, so I got one for everybody."

"Really?" Cloud eagerly took the package Barret had handed him and opened the end flap. Inside a great deal of packing was a very small cell phone; so small, in fact, Cloud was sure that he'd lose it.

"I got 'em so we can stay in contact if we get separated like we was in Junon. They've got a' itty bitty keyboard if you slide it open." He demonstrated for them. "You can type messages in case you can't talk, we can watch the news on them so we can keep our ears out for the ShinRa, and it's got a GPS thing in it somewhere, but I haven't found it yet."

"These are very interesting." Red said, fumbling to flip his open without the benefit of fingers. "We could plan out entire routes with the GPS feature, as well as determine ideal places to rest before we even get there."

Cloud grinned lopsidedly, "Thanks, Barret, this was a really good idea."

In an uncharacteristic moment, Barret looked away and smiled sadly. "Jesse would've loved to have somethin' like this." The quiet smile made Barret look his age and the guilt behind his smiling eyes was more pronounced than he had ever seen it.

Cloud stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. It was difficult to deal with Barret's emotional outbursts when they were anything other than the anger and brashness he lived his life by… he seemed like another person entirely when he was sad.

"There called PHS's, by the way." Barret said after a moment. "Stands for 'Personal Handheld System' or something like it, I don' really remember what the sales guy said."

In a somewhat half-hearted attempt to take Barret's mind of his fallen comrades, Red and Cloud both began to loudly discuss the GPS feature and where it could be accessed on the PHS. Before long Red was trying to flip through the overly-detailed manual, Barret was excitedly barking suggestions at Cloud, who was trying to follow both of them at the same time.

By the third day, Red's paw was stable enough to take the journey, so they set off a few hours after dawn. Their packs were once again filled with rations and their canteens, full of clean water, were a welcome weight. The grass was thin-bladed and wispy, unlike the thick, sharp grass they had traipsed through near Junon. The temperature was light, but the breezes racing across the open fields were chilly and a gossamer mist floated about the scenery.

The day had shown no signs of rain until noon, when high, dark clouds suddenly began to spring up everywhere, building off each other and casting malignant shadows across the fields. In the shadows of the Corel Mountains, the air was constantly moving and the rain that had started to fall began to blow viciously sideways, until there was no chance AVALANCHE would be able to stay dry. Soaked, cold, and more than a little ill-tempered, they pressed on, scurrying from patches of trees to try stay dry.

The rain continued all day long, abating slightly during the late afternoon, but resuming its torrential force not long after. When Cloud finally called for them to set up camp for the night, he had been so thoroughly soaked that his clothes were heavy with moisture and his hair was plastered to his forehead. They set up their tents in the center of a thick patch of trees; the only issue was that they were forced to clear away bits of underbrush to make a fire. Because this was such difficult and sweaty work, they only cleared enough for their campfire and their tents had to be irregularly placed in patches of relatively bear spots as near each other as they could manage.

As unabashed as was possible, AVALANCHE began to strip themselves of their soaking clothes and leave them to dry across their packs. Trying to keep the sopping clothes away from their dry sleeping bags was no easy task as the tents were all tiny. It was going to be an uncomfortable night, as Yuffie so kindly noted as she threw her soaked tank top back onto her bag with a wet "_shlop_". Cloud, still tending the dying fire, could see her form, silhouetted against the wall, pushing the bag as far into the side of her tent as possible. And judging from the identical lumpy bulges appearing on the sides of each tent, everyone else was doing the same.

The next day was easy traveling; the trail growing steeper and rockier as they made their way into the foothills of the Corel Mountain range. Barret assured them that there was a well-traveled road that passed to the Corel Reactor that ran alongside train tracks. Acting on his suggestion was their immediate plan. Cloud realized that he didn't know how the older man knew the way into the mountains, but didn't ask. He supposed Barret must've been here before, but wasn't worried. If Barret didn't want to talk about it, Cloud didn't want to hear it (in fact; he probably didn't want to hear it even if he _did_ want to talk about it). He trusted Barret and felt that his intentions were good.

They climbed up to the mouth of the trail that led into the mountains almost exactly at noon. Mutually agreeing to rest for a few moments before making the trek, AVALANCHE ate a sparing lunch and cleaned their throats with some greedy gulps from their canteens. Their short reverie was followed by a steep uphill climb that wound across the surface of the mountains at a zig zag. The path trail wasn't difficult, but the weaving made it slow going and they were being repeatedly attacked by some vicious little birds. They weren't much bigger than ravens, but their bright cerulean plumage made them easy to spot and their ability to cast low level ice spells made their appearances much less welcome.

By the time the sun had just started to set and the sky was shining a brilliant orange, they were making their way to the summit of the trail. After that point, Barret told Cloud, they would begin the descent towards the reactor. Behind them, Yuffie was moaning loudly about her sore legs and was calling Cloud a slave driver for making her walk so far. Irritated as he was at her childish complaining, he couldn't deny that his own calves were burning and his ankles were beginning to feel the strain of his weight. "We're going to camp off the trail at the summit. Just shut up, we're almost there" he said, rolling his eyes. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him, causing Aeris to giggle softly.

The simple truth was that they were all tired of walking; tired of the uphill march and the sharp little pebbles that cut into their hands and shins should they slip. No one said anything though. It was Yuffie's immaturity that caused her to complain ceaselessly, but most of the others were just as impatient and selfish at her age and they were willing to put up with her. The generous empathy of AVALANCHE was not enough to stop them from telling her to shut up, however; something Tifa had done nearly three times in the past hour.

She vaguely wondered why Barret wasn't joining in Yuffie's groaning. Although he wasn't too immature, he was infinitely impatient; making him quick to complain about the lack of action. He seemed a bit more tense than usual; Tifa knew he was having some sort of emotional battle. She had known him long enough; even lived with him these past few years, so she knew him well. Always a man of action, Barret had a hard time dealing with his emotions, especially ones that weren't anger or impatience or revenge. Tifa noticed that whenever he seemed to be dealing with something, he grew quiet and kept to himself. She had realized this only right after the original AVALANCHE had come to live underneath her bar. She had been shocked and angry that anti-ShinRa terrorists had brought with them a little girl, Marlene. When she found out that Barret was her father, she had flipped. She berated him for being such an irresponsible human being and nearly refused to harbor them. He explained as eloquently as he could manage what he explained to Elmyra a few weeks ago. His emotional conflict between his duty as a father and his duty to the Planet was all consuming for him.

She wondered if he was thinking about Marlene now; if that's what was troubling him and keeping him silent. For a brief moment, she thought that maybe he was apprehensive about the next leg of the journey- what they would find in the Corel Reactor. Tifa quickly dismissed this train of thought because, even if it was foolish, Barret would be looking forward to any action.

At the summit of the trail, the immediately noticed the sweeping panorama of the surrounding mountains and as their eyes followed the descending trail they could make out the beginnings of a small rickety track. "Look down the path," Red said suddenly. "Someone's coming."

Sure enough, they saw a man slowly making his way up the rocky trail towards them. He called out a greeting and they answered him as he stumbled up to them. "Don't see too many travelers here no more." He said, mopping his sweaty brow and smiling genially.

"We're on our way to the reactor," Cloud said. "How much farther down the trail is it?"

"Oh, can't be more then two miles or so, its just beyond that ridge." He smiled warmly again. In appearance, he was older than Barret and judging by the wiry tufts of colorless hair that sprouted out of the sides of his skull, he looked like he beat the dark-skinned man by at least a couple of decades. "Definitely feels longer though," he said with a good natured chuckle. "The trail winds and turns a lot. I can see yer all armed so ya shouldn't have to worry much about the monsters and stuff."

Cloud nodded with a backwards glance. "We've already dealt with a good amount of them coming up. They're not too tough though."

The old mad laughed weezily. "Ain't so bad when yer young and strong. I ran outta bullets for my pistol, so I've been runnin' from the horrors." He stretched his arms above his head and yawned indulgently. Eyes again towards Cloud and his companions, the old man gave a startled expression when Barret held out a small handful of bullets.

"What's yer gauge?" Barret asked, smiling faintly. "I just modified mine, so these are too small." The old man held out his pistol and Barret took it in his hand and gave it a quick inspection. "Yup," he said finally, "these oughta fit." He deftly loaded the gun with his single good hand and gave it back to the stranger.

The old man gratefully accepted it. "Oh, thank you!" He smiled widely. "I'm on my way to Costa del Sol to visit my daughter and I admit I left a tad unprepared. You've saved me a lotta time as I don't have to run and hide from those stupid monsters."

Barret shrugged, slightly bashful and said, "Well, don't let us keep ya. Good luck."

"Not at all!" The old man cried happily. "Truth be told, this is a long hike for an old man. My daughter hates these mountains so she moved to the shore with her husband and children. Can't blame her though," he added thoughtfully, "not much left for anyone here. It's just the stubbornness of an old man that keeps me on these old peaks." He stretched again and made to be on his way. "Thanks for talking with this old coot; it makes the walk seem a bit shorter."

"No problem," Cloud said, finding the strange old man to be oddly funny. "The walk must be lonely if no one comes up here anymore."

"Now that's just the odd thing about it," the man said, furrowing his wrinkled eyebrow. "Not too many people travel this road, but I passed a fellow earlier today traveling alone. Wearing strange clothes and walking with his head down. Its uncommon to see any travelers here, most everyone travels by buggy along the desert… but I saw him and y'all in just today." He scratched his bald spot thoughtfully then went on. "Now, y'know, I'm not one to talk ill behind someone's back but that guy was a weirdo. I called out to him and he didn't even look up."

"Really?" asked Yuffie, suddenly interested. "That's weird."

"I know!" The man nodded. "I tried to tell him that the road ahead was dangerous and he walked past me without even a glance. I tell ya, and wearing all black on a sunny mountainside, I'm not sure he was right in the head."

Cloud stiffened visibly. "Did he have silver hair?" he pressed suddenly.

"Why, yes." The man answered surprised by Cloud's sudden look of anger. "Silver hair and a big ol' sword."

"Sephiroth!" Cloud muttered though gritted teeth.

Confused, the old man pointed to the trail. "Well, if you're looking to catch up with him, he's only a couple hours ahead of ya. Only one place he could be headin'- Corel. It's the only town anywhere near here." He made to leave from them, thanking them again for their company and their ammunition. "Take care of yourselves!" he called after them.

Cloud bitterly called a halt at the summit. Knowing that he had enough energy to chase after Sephiroth but having to stop and rest with the others was utterly infuriating. A small voice in his mind kept reminding him that he was exhausted, but this only made him angrier… he had been in worse physical strain before. What was one night march without sleep?

They were on their way again before dawn, hiking down the trail and keeping an eye out for the horrible ice-birds. When the reactor slowly loomed into view, they grew silent and wary, as though waiting for ShinRa soldiers to come bursting out from behind the jagged boulders lining the trail.

Under Cloud's careful consideration, the comrades took up posts surrounding the reactor. They were all far enough apart to cover the entire structure, yet close to enough to help should they be spotted by soldiers. After a long while, something became apparent; Hojo's tip was a bust.

They regrouped and decided to pursue Sephiroth as he was a larger threat than the ShinRa at the moment. Barret was sure that if Sephiroth wasn't at the reactor, he would be heading towards North Corel, the only village in the area. The mountain paths all led to that vicinity and someone would be likely to spot him.

In the middle of the group, Aeris was thinking quietly to herself as she normally did when conversations died out. The Planet was murmuring worriedly under her feet, and she couldn't help but turn her mind towards Sephiroth and Jenova. They had been lucky that the old man had seen him traveling through the mountains; they had almost lost direction entirely. A sudden thought occurred to Aeris that made her blink in surprise. "Maybe Hojo wasn't talking about the reactor…"

Red looked up at her. "Did you say something, Aeris?"

She looked down to him, looking worried. "I've just thought that maybe Hojo wasn't talking about the reactor when he told Cloud to come this way. Maybe he was talking about Sephiroth, maybe he knew he would come this way."

The rest of the group had stopped their private conversations to look at her. "But how could he have known?" Tifa asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know, something just doesn't feel right about Hojo and Sephiroth."

Cloud ran a hand through his hair, "Well, there's no way to know for sure, but the sooner we catch up to him, the sooner we can end this."

Aeris nodded, trying not to look as worried as she felt. For some reason, the idea of Hojo tailing Sephiroth felt far more foreboding than it should. She pressed onward behind the others, though, and took some comfort in the fact that they had not laughed at her for voicing a mere premonition that held no real base of fact. Maybe in time she could learn to truly trust these people, maybe in time she would be able to tell them what the Planet said to her without feeling like a freak or an outcast.

The rest of the journey to North Corel was short and easy. The path widened into a road that wound its way up the mountains. Several derelict road signs pointed they way into a small plateau that rested between two stubby peaks. Below in the valley, dense, scrubby brush was growing out of the dusty earth and a small river could be seen amongst the brownish-green foliage. The road followed the tracks under a banner that had been stretched across the way between to natural ledges of solid rock that rose up on either side of them. The dirty and torn banner simply read "North Corel".

Looking ahead, they saw the tracks end abruptly at the edge of one of the poorest towns Cloud and the others had ever seen. In fact, it could hardly be called a town; it was more of a settlement. There were no buildings made of stone or had a proper foundation. Most of them were shabby lean-tos constructed out of ragged canvas and pieces of scrap metal. Some of the larger buildings had actual walls, but they looked old and uncared for, crumbling at the corners and chipped all over its surface. The center square was marked with a decrepit old well whose stones were threatening to fall in. "This place is a hellhole," Yuffie muttered under her breath. If the buildings were a mess, it was nothing on the residents of Corel. They were all dirty and worn, wearing colorless rags for clothes. Most of them didn't even bother to look at the travelers and simply continued their daily business.

They continued forward and they all had the sinking feeling that they wouldn't be able to spend the night in town, much less buy supplies. They stopped by the well to get their bearings, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, an angry shout rent the air, making them all start. Looking up they saw a townsman with a dusty face pointing an accusatory finger at them and looking irate and scandalized. Two other Corel men standing nearby had also heard the shout and nearly copied the angry expression of the first man when they laid eyes on AVALANCHE.

Unsure of what was going on, Cloud reached for the hilt of his sword, he saw Tifa out of the corner of his eye bring up her fists in a half tense fighting stance. Barret stepped forward and held up his gun-arm. "Stay back," he barked, not looking back and walked several paces closer to the men.

"Well well!" The dirty-faced man shouted in mock surprise, "Lookit this! I never thought I'd see your ugly face 'round here again."

The second man, with a dark shadow of filthy stubble on his face, looked around Barret at the rest of AVALANCHE. "Those poor fools with ya? I feel sorry for them, only retards would hang around a walking death threat like Barret."

The first strode up to Barret and punched him square in the face. Aeris let out a strangled shriek behind Cloud. The dirty townsman stood chest to chest with Barret. "You got a lotta balls comin' back here again, you sonofa bitch techno-freak." He didn't reply, blood running freely down his face.

"I hope you don't think you and your little fucking group are gonna be stayin' here tonight. You keep on fuckin' movin'. It was your dumb ass that turned Corel into this shit hole. You remember that? Or didja already forget what you did?"

When Barret didn't answer, the first shoved him bodily. "It's your fault Corel turned into this!" he shouted, his face reddening in blotches, "Why don't you say somethin' instead a standing there like some mute piece a shit!"

"Sorry."

"You worthless shit-head!" One of them yelled. "You ain't even worth talking to."

"You get your ass outta here." Another said, looking threateningly at Barret. "You get your ass outta here this fucking instant."

Obligingly, Barret strode past them and Cloud and the others scurried after him. Unwilling to confront Barret, no one said anything as he walked purposefully through town. Not surprisingly, other townspeople had heard the ruckus and had poked their heads out of their hovels. People leered at them as they passed, some cursed them and a few even threw trash.

Barret continued to ignore the people, even when an empty can bounced off his shoulder. Cloud was half trotting to keep up with Barret and he couldn't stop himself from nervously looking over his shoulders at the angry villagers that, at least, didn't seem like they were going to become an angry mob. Barret stoically lead them to some kind of station that was in far better condition than the rest of the town. They climbed onto the platform and Barret threw himself angrily into a bench.

Aeris glanced at Cloud and then slowly approached Barret, who looked away from her. She pulled her handkerchief out of her jacket pocket and held it out to him. "Your nose looks awful," she offered simply.

He glared at her for a moment, but then his expression softened and he took it from her and began to mop his face, grunting his thanks. "Barret," she started, looking concerned, "What happened?"

His chest heaved in a sigh. "You heard 'em. It's my fault Corel looks like this."

"No, really," she pressed, sitting down next to him. "What actually happened? Why were they so cruel to you?"

He looked up at her and then to the rest of them slightly hesitant, but then started, "My hometown used to be around here."

"What do you mean, 'used to'?" Red asked in a would-be gentle voice, except that it sounded closer to a growl.

"It ain't here no more," he said, irritation and anger lacing his tone. "It's totally gone, and in just four years."

"But how could those people say such horrible things?" Aeris asked, her eyes sparkling with emotion. Even if Barret was gruff and sometimes rude, he was still her friend and her heart ached with sympathy. She could feel his pain radiating off him as if by some sixth sense.

"And it's all my fault," he snapped. "Corel was a mining town a coupla years ago. Generations of fathers and sons all worked in the same mine shafts for coal. Four years ago, the ShinRa sent that bitch, Scarlet, as a representative. They wanted to build a reactor in the mountains, and they promised that with the added mako resource, our town would have more money and our lives would be easier."

Looking briefly at his companions, he dove into his recollection. "Everyone was sold on the ShinRa's promises and everyone agreed that we should give up coal and help build the reactor. The only one who was against it was Dyne, my best friend since we was kids. He thought that we didn't have the right to abandon the mines because so many generations of Corel people had risked their lives to protect them. I told him that coal was outdated and slowly becoming a thing of the past. Scarlet said that the ShinRa could guarantee our livelihood. He was still against it, though, even though he wanted a better life for his wife.

"In the end, I convinced him to go with the ShinRa. I told him I didn't want my wife, Myrna, to suffer anymore. He agreed with me, he wanted Eleanor, his wife, to be happy too. Then they burned the town. There were only a handful of survivors."

"Wait, what?" Cloud asked, taken aback by the twist. "Who burned the town?"

"ShinRa troops," he spat. "There was an explosion at the reactor while Dyne and I were away. They blamed it on the people and set fire to the town in the middle of the night."

"That's so terrible!" Tifa gasped, a slender hand held over her mouth.

"I guess so." Barret said, halfheartedly. "But even more than the ShinRa, I couldn't forgive myself. I should've never went with that goddamned reactor."

Tifa shook her head, looking distraught. "No, don't blame yourself. We were all fooled by the ShinRa back then."

"It's just why I get so pissed off!" He slapped the railing of the bench in emphasis. "I was used and taken advantage of and I lost Myrna…" He looked away.

Everyone was silent for a few long moments, unwilling to discuss Barret's history in front of him and still undecided about their plans. Cloud finally turned towards the ticket counter, Tifa watched for a moment before following him.

"I never knew," she said quietly, looking nervous and sad. "He never said a thing."

Cloud tried to give her a supportive look, but looked away awkwardly as they approached the counter. Thanks to the same streak of luck that had managed to make their journey function all the way to this point, they were able to buy tickets for the ropeway train that would take them to the Gold Saucer amusement park, where they would be able to find a room for the night.

The wait went by agonizingly slow. A heavy, rather awkward silence had fallen on them and they were all fairly unwilling to have a normal conversation in the face of Barret's episode. When the train arrived Barret wordlessly climbed on ahead of the rest of them. As the rest of the boarded Cloud distinctly heard Yuffie whisper to Red, "I don't care; I'm not sympathizing with Barret. He never should've trusted the ShinRa."


	18. Reverie

Chapter Eighteen

Reverie

"Holy cow! You got us suites?" Yuffie exclaimed delightedly as Cloud told them of their sleeping arrangements.

He looked at her with obvious annoyance on his still boyish face. "It's not like I had a choice. Since this is a resort, they don't offer normal hotel rooms. That prick at the counter," he said, jabbing a thumb back towards the check-in desk, "told me that there's an inn in Corel we should've stayed at if we didn't want to spend the money."

She snorted in a half-laugh, half-cough but nonetheless cast a sideway glance at Barret. He had barely spoken a word since they had boarded the ropeway train. During the ride he had glared angrily out the window at the burnt desert dirt underneath them. He seemed ready to lash out, so they avoided engaging him as much as they could.

They stood in a huddled group just away from the main desk. A gigantic plaster-form moogle smiled jovially over the entrance to the main park. Someone in a full body Chocobo costume was bouncing merrily towards a group of children that had just stepped off the ropeway car. Orchestrated children's music was blaring out of hidden speakers from every corner of the lobby.

Cloud handed Aeris a room key. "Here," he said, "this is for your room. We also got free passes for the park tonight so I guess you can go check it out."

Yuffie made a noise of excitement and impatiently snatched one of the passes Cloud held out to them. He handed the other to Tifa and Aeris, but when he offered one to Barret, the larger man turned away from him angrily. Cloud's arm fell limply to his side and a look of intense indignance and irritation contorted his face for a moment. Red and the girls were silent, half-expecting Cloud to retort angrily, causing Barret to explode. Surprisingly, Aeris stepped forward and touched Barret's upper arm, "C'mon, Barret, try to cheer up."

He jerked his arm away and turned from her. "I ain't in no cheery mood," he grumbled, "so just leave me alone."

"Really?" She asked, seemingly unfazed, "Okay then, but we're gonna go check out the rides and stuff."

The explosion finally came. Barret whirled around, "So fucking play then!" he shouted, causing many nearby parents to clap their hands over their children's ears and shoot him murderous looks. Aeris, jumped back, startled, her eyes wide in surprise. "We're still after Sephiroth, so don' forget it while yer messing the fuck around!" He turned without another word and stormed down an adjacent doorway leading to the resort rooms.

"Wow," said Tifa quietly, "That was harsh."

Aeris shrugged. "I think it's probably best to just act normal when he gets like that."

"That seems to make sense," Red agreed, gazing appreciatively at Aeris. "I think that challenging him while he's so upset would just add unneeded strain on the group."

"Yeah, well, he's acting like a big baby," Yuffie said, rolling her mocha eyes. "Let's just let him throw a tantrum and go check out some rides."

"Well, there's a kiosk by the main gate, it looks like there's park maps on it." Tifa offered, pointing.

They moved off together, and soon enough they were arguing over what rides were worth waiting for. They waited for nearly thirty minutes to board the Gold Saucer's signature roller coaster. Yuffie had turned whiney during the wait and Aeris jumped on the opportunity to tease her for chickening out. When they had got to the platform, Red managed to secure a seat when the attendant wasn't looking. As it turned out Yuffie's motion sickness applied to roller coasters and as they disboarded she bolted towards the nearest restroom. They waited for her on a nearby bench, enjoying the sights and sounds of the theme park that was worlds away from the poverty of North Corel and the merciless searchings of the ShinRa.

"Hey, you!"

They all turned, broken from their individual thoughts as a strange man walked purposefully up to them. He was big and bulky with a swirl of greasy black hair perched jauntily on his wide forehead. His garish suit did nothing to make up for the pink shirt and leopard-print tie he was wearing, and, the small collar of his shirt looked strained by his thick neck, although it was partially hidden by his massive cleft chin.

"Hey, boy!" he said again, gesturing airily at Cloud as he came up to them. "I've been hearing quite a bit of complaints about you!

Cloud just looked back, puzzled. "I- what?"

"Your dog!" the man said, pointing at Red. "I'm the owner of the Gold Saucer and I simply can't allow you to take your dog into the park."

Tifa and Aeris both stood up from the bench to join Cloud in front of the man. Upon seeing them, however, his business demeanor swiftly melted and he smiled indulgently at them. "Good day, ladies. Having fun?" He reached past Cloud to take Aeris' hand and kiss it and then Tifa's. They gave each other horrified looks.

"Good for you, boy," he said to Cloud, who simply looked thunderstruck. "I'm Dio, the proprietor of the park. You seem like a tough guy, you should come up to the Battle Arena and test your skills. Fabulous prizes, of course."

"Stop calling me 'boy'-" Cloud started, but his annoyed request seemed to fall on deaf ears.

"My private collections' up there, too. That's always worth a look." Red, seemingly forgotten, rolled his golden eye and sunk to his haunches. "By the way, boy, do you know what Black Materia is?"

"No," Cloud answered, sounding irritated. "Why?"

"I have a display set up for when I purchase that particular item for my museum, but the other day some kid your age set off the security system breaking in after hours. The security cameras recorded him searching the display, but then he just disappears without actually stealing anything." Dio scratched his chin. "I have priceless artifacts there, so it's kind of confusing. Why didn't he take anything?"

"He disappeared?" Aeris asked, looking slightly worried. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing to be frightened about, sweetheart." Dio said, smiling vapidly. "The footage just shows him appearing in the middle of the room and then just disappearing. They're must've been a power flux or something."

Cloud and the others looked at each other meaningfully. "Do you know where he went? How long ago?"

"Not a clue, boy. Happened just yesterday, before the park opened." Dio's cell phone suddenly rang and he bid them a hasty farewell, winking at the girls.

They turned to Cloud, worry written on all of their faces. "Shit, we've missed him again." Cloud sighed heavily, "There's no way he'd hang around, especially in a place like this."

"What do you think we ought to do?" Tifa asked, crossing her arms uncomfortably. "He must've gone further along the coast, there's not many settlements around here."

Cloud looked at her searchingly for a moment; Aeris was nervously fiddling with the oversized ribbon that held her hair. They were quiet for a moment before Red cleared his throat. "If I may…" he asked tentatively, looking up at Cloud.

The young man nodded. "By all means, if you've got an idea, let's hear it."

Red swelled, proud that his opinion was so respected. "I believe the wisest action would be to continue our current plan. We should rest here for the night and simply continue on in the morning. Sephiroth seems to get seen just enough to allow us to follow his trail, and if we strongly suspect that he will be continuing towards the northern edge of the continent then there's no need to exhaust our strength by chasing him night and day."

Cloud was in the process of agreeing with him when Yuffie walked over to them, looking miserable albeit a little less green. When Aeris told her what had happened she groaned and rolled her head to one of her shoulders. "God, I hate that stupid Sephiroth."

Having lost their appetite for fun, they began the walk back to the resort wing of the property. Passing though the Wonder Square area, however, they were stopped by a second voice calling out to them, "Hey! You there!"

A huge furry mascot of some kind was bounding up to them. It was an enormous fat mog with a caped and crowned cat sitting on its head. "What're lookin' so down for?" the cat asked, frowning cartoonishly.

"Get out of the way," Tifa snapped.

"Aw, c'mon! How about I read your fortune?" He squeaked, bouncing slightly on the mog. "A bright future! A happy future!"

"You read fortunes?" Yuffie asked, "That's it?"

He gasped in mock offense, "Not at all, princess! The name's Cait Sith, I'm a fortune telling machine! I can find lost items, predict love, channel dead people… you name it! Just," he added hesitantly, "don't hold it against me if it's not a great prediction."

"Alright," Cloud said challengingly, running a hand through his wild hair. "Tell me where a man named Sephiroth is."

The cat scoffed and waved his gloved hand. "Alright hang on!" The mog suddenly bounded forward and hopped from one huge foot to the other. Cait Sith put his hands to his temple and began chanting dramatically. With a flourish, he produced a small shred of paper from seemingly out of nowhere. He held it aloft, still thickly laying on the drama, "Ordinary luck. Give into the goodwill of others and something big'll happen after summer."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuffie asked, utterly unimpressed. The others mirrored her skeptical expression.

Cait Sith tossed the scrap over his shoulder dismissively. "Let me try again, that one was a dud." The mog began to spin around in place, his pink furry belly jumping with the movement. The cat, again, deftly produced second scrap of paper. He held it out to Aeris. "Here you read it!"

"Be careful of forgetfulness," she said slowly and clearly, trying not to laugh. "Your lucky color is blue."

Cloud rolled his cerulean eyes. "Forget it."

They turned to walk away, but Cait Sith leapt forward to catch up with them. "Aw c'mon! Let me try one more time, give me a chance!"

They paused; Tifa put her hands on her hips and sighed impatiently. Red seemed a little more interested than the others, but only marginally so. Cait Sith began chanting at the top of his squeaky voice while the mog began to wildly dance about in place. For the third time, the cat pulled a piece of paper from thin air and handed it to Cloud.

"What the?" Cloud muttered as he read the slip.

"What's it say?" Tifa, Yuffie, and Aeris all asked in unison crowding around to read. Red stood on his haunches to read over their shoulders.

"What you seek will be yours," Cloud read softly, "but you will lose something dear."

Aeris cocked an eyebrow. "Well, that could be good or bad."

"I've never gotten _anything_ like that before," the cat agreed. "Well, let's go."

"What?" Cloud and Tifa asked together.

Cait Sith cocked his head, as though it seemed utterly obvious what he meant. "As a fortune teller, these things really bug me. I'm going with you so I can see how it turns out."

"No you're not." Cloud said, annoyed. "We're… we're traveling and the terrain's too rough."

"Aw c'mon!" the cat whined. "I gotta know."

Yuffie clicked her tongue. "We'll send you a letter."

"Where are you traveling to?" Cait Sith asked, "South to Gongonga? I hope you're not going to Corel, that place sucks."

"Gongonga, but we're only passing through, so you still can't come." Yuffie said, starting to walk away.

The others turned to follow her, and Cloud turned to give the strange mascot a last, what he hoped to be, threatening stare. As he caught up with the others, Red looked at him meaningfully. "I'm sure that this shouldn't cause anyone's alarm, but that thing wasn't a person in a costume. I distinctly heard gears and pneumatics when it was prancing about."

"It's a robot?" Aeris asked, "Why would that be so weird?"

"Well," Red admitted, "the only strange thing about it is that the rest of the technology here doesn't seem to quite reach that sophisticated level of operation, but I suppose it could be a new attraction the management is testing."

Because of the structure of the Gold Saucer, they had the luxury of taking the long way back to the hotel, just incase Barret was still cooling off. They were able to take a tram most of the way, but they were forced to disembark at the Battle Arena in order to reach the elevators that lead to the resort wing. The tram rides did give them the opportunity to look at many of the different sectors of the park, included the nearly mile-long Chocobo race track where nearly every televised race what held.

As they disembarked from the tram, however, a ShinRa soldier in blue came stumbling onto the platform. Taken by surprise, they all reached for their weapons. The soldier seemed to see them and lurched over to them. He grabbed the front of Cloud's shirt and collapsed to his knees, "He's shot everyone! He's on a rampage; you've got to call HQ!" The soldier fell forward and lay still, a wound in his back was staining his uniform a deep purple.

Without another word, Cloud was running pell-mell up the entrance stairs. Tifa called for him to wait, and took off after him, her long legs covering a great deal of ground with every step. Red and Yuffie also sprinted up the stairs after them, Red easily gaining on Tifa. Aeris, left behind in the madness sprinted after them.

They burst into the Battle Square and saw five or six bodies lying on the ground and pained moans reached their ears. Cloud was trying to talk to a wounded Gold Saucer employee. She had been shot in the shoulder several times and looked nearly hysterical. "Tell me what happened," Cloud said urgently, "Who did this?"

"He had a gun on his arm!" She sobbed, shaking as though she was freezing. "He had a gun on his arm and he just started shooting!"

"Oh, god," Tifa moaned, holding a hand to her mouth. "A gun on his arm?"

Aeris, blinking back tears at such horrible violence, began casting curative magic over as wide a range as she could. She could feel the artificial wind of the spell building around her, calling wisps of Mako to her. The spell aura, a deep emerald, rose and fell in currents around her, like an ocean tide. Finally, she released and the warm breeze of magic blew around the room like a sigh.

"Hold it right there!" Someone shouted angrily from behind them. They whirled around; it was Dio, flanked by two armed Gold Saucer security officers. "Stay quiet and don't move!"

"It wasn't us!" Cloud said, with a note of panic in his voice.

Yuffie suddenly turned tail and sprinted through the arena door at top speed. "Yuffie! No!" Cloud shouted, but he was drowned out by the gunfire from Dio's guards, they missed her, and the rest of them went racing after her. Their desperate race quickly ended though, as they ran to the next room, they nearly collided with a brick wall. It was a dead end.

Dio walked into the doorway smugly. "Well, you've done the work for us. Thanks much. Did you know that the Gold Saucer had its humble beginnings as a prison?"

As he spoke the floor of the chamber began to open. The circular gap in the floor grew larger as Cloud and the others cried out in alarm. Hot, smelly air was rushing up the hole, but the bottom wasn't visible. They all backed into the wall, but the gap simply grew bigger and bigger. Dio turned and left, cursing their deeds and the powered door shut behind him. Cloud clawed desperately at the walls, trying to find something to climb, but was totally unable to. Tifa and Aeris both gasped in terror as the floor began shrinking away under their feet. Unable to do anything, the floor's final inches began disappearing and they were forced against the walls. Red, already on his hind legs, was the first to stumble sideways and plummet into the darkness and even as the others shouted his name, their ground was being taken and they all started to pitch sideways into the abyss.

The fell forever, it seemed, their collective scream ran out of breath before they hit the ground with a deafening thud. Opening his eyes cautiously, Cloud could see that they had landed in some kind of dirt-floored pit in a pile of limbs. Pulling themselves to their feet, they realized that by some miracle, they were all unharmed. "There's fresh air coming out of this slide," Red grumbled, sticking his head into an open shaft in the pit wall. Offering to check, Red disappeared into the darkness as the shaft turned upright. After a tense moment, he called back down to them, "It leads outside, come out."

Cloud and the girls crawled in, and realized with relief that after turning skyward, the hole stretched for only a few feet above their heads before opening to the outside world. Tifa climbed out first, followed by Yuffie; they both bent forward to help hoist Aeris out and Cloud followed silently.

Unfortunately, their surroundings weren't nearly as comforting as they had hoped. They stood at the bottom of the Gold Saucer; its treelike branches stretching out hundreds of feet above them, casting strange circular shadows on the dusty ground. The shadows were actually a blessing however; the blazing sun had beat down on the ground with more intensity then any of them had ever felt. No grass could be seen anywhere, and off in the distance, beyond the metal trunk of the amusement park, burnt, desolate dirt stretched out for miles, almost to the foothills of the Corel Mountains. Beyond even the horrible turn in environment, the prison itself was just that: a prison.

Many tough looking residents were milling about, selling contraband or offering to fight each other for entertainment in shady spots against the walls or in the shadows of run down shacks. At the arrival of the newcomers, several of the denizens looked at them interestedly; especially when they caught sight of Yuffie, Aeris, and Tifa. Cloud and Red, both looking as threatening as was possible, led the girls away from the hole in search of somewhere to regroup. Yuffie pointed out a shack near the edge of an electrified fence and everyone agreed they should take advantage of it while they decided on their plan of action. The rickety wooden stairs squealed as the five of them approached the dilapidated door that hung in place by a single, bent hinge. Talking amongst themselves, they opened the door and stepped inside, more concerned about the thugs watching them outside than what they almost stumbled into on the inside.

"Barret?" Tifa gasped suddenly, as the others followed her inside. The sound of her exclamation caused them all to turn towards where the dark man stood in the corner of the room.

A moldy couch separated him from them and as he looked up at them, they were silently glad for it. He looked angry and stony faced, his already scarred cheek badly bruised where, Cloud assumed, a guard had hit him while he had struggled to avoid capture. Remembering the horrid carnage up above, Cloud's own expression hardened as a worried expectation grew in his stomach. "Barret," Cloud began, stepping forward, "Did you really-"

"Stay back," he shouted suddenly, his face wild, "This is something I just gotta deal with!"

Cloud recoiled slightly, startled by his outburst. They hadn't meant to corner him in this rickety little building, but Barret was beginning to look more and more like a cornered animal. "Hey," he began delicately, holding his hands up to show his placidity, "C'mon, Barret, let's just-" Barret raised his gun-arm at them and their collective gasp was drowned out by sudden gunfire. Yuffie shrieked and Cloud had his eyes closed so tight he thought his eyes might be pushed back into his skull. Their hearts raced madly, yet, the burning sting of fatal bullets never came. A body fell behind him, and Cloud whirled, images of prone teammates laying in blood flashed in his mind. It took a second or two for his brain to process that the body lying in a pool of blood and riddled with dark bullet wounds was not someone he knew. It was one of the thugs they had noticed as they had crawled out of the hole. Practically frozen with fear and confusion, they stared at the corpse with huge, frightened eyes, each certain that they were going to end up dead.

Shocked but beginning to feel relieved that Barret hadn't turned on them, they all looked back to him. "I didn't want none o' ya' involved," he admitted, looking guilty that he had so badly scared them.

Aeris had regained her composure and rolled her sparkling eyes, putting her hands on her hips. "You sound like Cloud. 'Stay out of this,'" she said, imitating Cloud's deeper voice, "'I can't get you involved' blah, blah, blah." Cloud shot her an annoyed look.

Aeris' confidence was infectious, and Tifa leaned up against the wall, crossing her slim arms, "Yeah, give us a break, Barret. We're already involved."

"So just tell us what's going on, okay?" Aeris prompted gently, moving a little closer.

Barret seemed to deflate a little; his anger faded and an almost melancholy expression appeared on his rough face, "You guys…" he muttered thickly, trying not to be too emotional at their forgiveness and acceptance.

"A witness in the Battle Square said that a man with a gun-arm murdered all those people," Red said softly but pointedly, "What happened?"

"I'm not," Barret began heavily, "I'm not the only person with a gun grafted inta' their arm. I already toldja that Corel was burned to the ground four years ago, when me and my best friend, Dyne, had been out on a trip. We saw the smoke from one of the passes, but we didn't know that the town was on fire until we were almost on top of it. The old man from the pool hall escaped the carnage and was running the path towards us. He was screamin' at the toppa his voice for us to help and we went runnin' down to get him. He said that ShinRa soldiers had set the town on fire and were shootin' people as they tried to escape; said he'd only escaped cause he played dead until they went around to another part of the village.

"Dyne was irate; he started haulin' ass down towards the village, Eleanor and his baby girl were down there. I raced after him, cursin' the fucking ShinRa for all I was worth. A gunshot made us stop in our tracks, though, and when we turned around, a whole fucking platoon of soldiers were firin' at Murdoch, the old man. He was dead from the first shot, but they was just mutilatin' him for fun. Dyne went ballistic and started shootin' at em with the little handgun he used to carry around. They turned and fired at us and with only a handgun, we had to run. Then, that ho, Scarlet, came up the path with a couple more soldiers and saw what was going on. She had some huge gauge shot gun and was shootin' slugs at us. We tried to run down the path, but one of the slugs hit too close and the spray hit Dyne in the leg. He fell, and I only barely managed to catch him as both of us almost fell off the cliff we was runnin' past. I could hear that crazy bitch laughin' her ugly ass head off behind us, getting' ready to take the final shot.

"I told him to hang on, that the people in the village needed us but he just kinda looked at me with a face I'll never forget. He told me to help Eleanor and Marlene, and to help Myrna. The gunshot went off and she aimed for where I was holdin' him. The slug hit our hands and both our arms got peppered in spray. I let him go and he fell.

"The ShinRa left me for dead. With a fucked-up, mutilated arm, I made it all the way back to the village to look for survivors. Myrna was dead, shot so many times over I could barely tell it was her, Eleanor was the same story, although I found her on her porch. I got ready to go, but then I noticed Eleanor's cellar door was unlocked and I knew it was weird because that woman was crazy about keepin' that door closed. I don't' know why, but I went down inta' her cellar and couldn't believe what I saw. It was a bundle of pink blankets- the ones Myrna had gotten Eleanor for the baby shower, and there was a pitiful wailin' and cryin' from it. I couldn't believe it, Marlene had lived. Eleanor musta hid her in the cellar because it was stone and couldn't burn and then she must've run out to the porch and gotten shot. I grabbed her and ran as fast as I could as far away as I could. I made it out of the mountains and passed out.

"Someone found me cause I woke up in the hospital with my right arm amputated. Doctor said my nerves was crushed and that he couldn't fix it so they had to cut it off. The prosthetic arm they gave me only reminded me of how fucked up everything was- how the ShinRa had taken so much away, how I was so helpless, and how Marlene was the only thing I had left. I threw my prosthetic arm away and had this gun grafted in. The doctor who did it said that he did the operation before; some dude who had it done on his left arm."

"If Dyne," Tifa began tentatively, "has the same injury as you from the ShinRa, don't you think you might be able to convince him to join us?"

"I wouldn't count on it," Barret said glumly, "I gotta find him and apologize before either of us can die in peace. That's why I wanted go alone."

"I don't think so," said Cloud with an involuntary shiver. "If he kills your ass I'm not about to go all the way back to Midgar so I can tell Marlene you kicked the bucket."


	19. Jockeying for Freedom

Chapter Nineteen

Jockeying for Freedom

They broke out into the disgustingly hot sunlight, Barret leading the way. The dirt was burnt and packed hard beneath their feet and the scrubby shapes of plant life that poked out of the ground were a travesty on the image of lush greenery. The breeze felt like it was laden with hot needles and the heat was so intense, their sweat evaporated instantly, leaving them all red tinged in the face.

The other thugs seem to think the odds were slightly against them now that Barret had joined Cloud and Red in looking threatening in order to deter them from trying to harm any of the three girls behind them. As they walked by the dark shapes of the watchful prisoners, Barret's glares seemed to help keep them at bay. At the edge of the enclosure, huge mountains of metal debris began to rise out of the scorched earth. This is where Dyne was hiding out, Barret assured them, and without further deliberation, made their way forward.

Huge metal car and truck frames were stacked on top of each other and the rusted remnants of old amusement rides only added to the height and girth of the mounds. There was, however, a clearly defined path between the mountains of trash, and the farther they went the more the trail seemed to spiral about aimlessly. Still, they pressed on silently; Barret's apprehension was infectious. He led them through the would-be maze; knowing somehow that Dyne would make a hideout here and that he couldn't be much further.

Glancing over his shoulder, he peered at the group moving slowly behind him. He hadn't been at the front of the group since before their infiltration of the ShinRa Headquarters back in Midgar. Aeris had questioned his ability to lead, and naturally, Tifa had sided with her in favor of Cloud; who, admittedly, led the group rather admirably throughout their assault on the tower. Barret glanced at Red's lower form, reminding himself that the cat hadn't chosen sides because he was uninterested in their pursuits and was merely repaying their rescue. The young ninja behind him looked bored and unimpressed, glancing apathetically at the junk that surrounded them from time to time. She forced her way into the group after failing to rob them and although her efforts in battle were genuine, Barret knew a liar when he saw one. He knew he couldn't prove it, but he got the distinct impression that she had ulterior motives.

Looking back ahead of himself, Barret thought of his companions and how they had all struggled together against the ShinRa. Maybe this could be the beginning of a new AVALANCHE, a far more effective one. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie were dead, but at least they would be avenged when he finally took out his revenge on the tyrannical company responsible for their pain.

Lost in his thoughts, Barret suddenly came out into an opening. The walls of garbage shrunk into mere piles and faded into the dirt as a wide open area stretched out in front of him. The others, sensing his sudden attention, stopped behind him and waited for his verdict with baited breath. The ground before them was cracked and as desolate as the rest of the desert, save for a dilapidated stone foundation that had once been a tiny house. Beyond the small building, though, the ground split open into a gaping chasm as though the earth had simply dropped away. Shotgun shells littered the dusty ground and the sun beat mercilessly down upon them, causing them to glitter like little gold stars in the intense light. Signaling the others to remain where they were, Barret took a tentative step forward.

A man appeared from behind the house, alerted by the scraping noises Barret's boots had made against the gravelly ground. He was pale and gaunt; he looked more dead than alive. Huge black bags hung under his hollow, dust-colored eyes, and a filthy mop of brown hair grew lifelessly from his skull. His left arm, like Barret's right, ended in a silver disc that had a long shotgun grafted into it. He walked slowly, half-crouching, with his gun trained at them like a soldier caught in enemy territory.

Barret held up his hands as a sign of peace, but his face was betraying all the pain and turmoil he was facing now. "Dyne?" he asked carefully, "Is that you?"

Dyne's face dawned with recognition. He stood up a little straighter, but neglected to lower his weapon. He smirked humorlessly, "Now that's a voice I haven't heard in a long time… A voice I'll never forget." His voice was as dry and as gravelly as the ground beneath his heavy black boots, and his hollow eyes hardly mimicked the thin smile on his peeling lips.

Taking another step closer with his arms still in the air, Barret smirked in relief and gladness at seeing his old friend in mostly one piece and very much alive. "I'd always hoped I'd be able to see you again someday. I knew you was alive cause we both got the same operation."

Dyne suddenly fired on the ground in front of Barret's boots, halting his forward progression. The latter jumped back in surprise, not thinking to lower his arms to defend himself, the small smile melting from his face. "Can you hear her, Barret?" Dyne asked, cocking his head to the side, "Can you hear her begging and crying?"

Barret was starting to get a little nervous and a quick, but meaningful, glance behind him silently warned the others not to do anything sudden. "Who, Dyne? Who's crying?"

"I hear Eleanor," Dyne muttered, mostly to himself. Suddenly remembering that Barret was still standing in front of him dumbly, his anger flared up. "I hear Eleanor begging me not to hate your rotten guts!"

"I'm not asking for forgiveness," the dark man began in a would-be calm, "I know I was stupid, but what are you doin' here? Killing people who ain't even involved?"

"Why!?" Dyne shouted, suddenly exploding into a hysterical anger, "What the fuck do you care? The dead don't understand 'why'! The people of Corel don't care about 'why'! The mother-fucking ShinRa can give us all the reasons why in the god damned world and that won't make a fucking difference to _anyone_!" He waved his gun arm for emphasis as he continued on his tirade, "I don't give a _shit_ what the god damn reason is! All they pass out are excuses and artillery- the tools of despair and emptiness!"

Barret remained silent; unable to make it better, unable to offer any comfort. Dyne was right, by all accounts, he even agreed with him. "You still wanna hear 'why'?" Dyne yelled, looking positively mad, "Alright, I'll tell you! Because I have to destroy_ everything_! These stupid prisoners, the prison itself…" he trailed off, looking genuinely grieved, "I got nothing left in this world, Corel, Eleanor, even Marlene."

"Dyne," Barret said after an emotional pause, "Marlene is… Marlene's still alive."

Dyne's face rose to meet his, his dirty, sallow face showing the faintest shred of hope and even his empty eyes shimmered with the slightest emotion.

"I went back to town," Barret went on, "I went to try and save Myrna and Eleanor. Eleanor hid her in the cellar and led the troops away. I thought Marlene would be dead for sure, but I found her. I'm gonna stay with her till the end." Dyne was silent, his expression unreadable. Barret pressed cautiously further, "C'mon, she's in Midgar, we can go see her."

"I can't believe she's still alive," he mumbled, looking skyward. Before Barret could sigh with relief, however, Dyne returned to his hollow expression and trained the shotgun at Barret's wide chest. "I guess this means we gotta fight."

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Barret sputtered, looking aghast. Dyne's sudden change in demeanor set them all on edge.

"Eleanor's all by herself; dead all alone. I gotta take Marlene to her." His head rolled back and his black eyes stared blankly at the sun and then slowly moved back down to Barret's confused and increasingly panicked face.

Barret stuttered, "You- You wanna kill her? Are you insane!?" He could feel his companions tense behind him, their audible gasps of shock mirroring his own disbelieving and hurt expression.

"Marlene wants to see her mom, don't she?" Dyne spat, as though it made complete logical sense, "I gotta kill you and go find her and kill her too."

Without any real warning, he opened fire as Barret, sensing the madness, dove haphazardly out of the way. Cloud snatched his sword and made to charge forward. "You stay the hell back!" Barret roared, dodging another spray of gravel as Dyne reloaded for another shot.

Coming up from a heavy roll, Barret jammed an ammunition clip into his gatling gun and trained it at the madman, "Don't make me fight you, Dyne, I don't wanna hurt you!" he warned, looking reluctant to fire.

"Fuck you!" Dyne erupted, firing again, "My life's been over since that one fucking day!"

Barret squeezed his eyes shut and a blast of thunder exploded from his gun. Dyne half grunted, half cried out in surprise and pain as he fell to his knees. Barret had tried not to fire the entire clip of ammo, but the gun's spit fire rotation was so fast the wound Dyne sustained, he knew, must be serious.

Dyne moaned in agony, standing up. He tottered madly and stumbled against the wall of the building. His face was quickly draining of color and the crimson stains on his clothes were growing by the second. Barret had peppered him rather severely up his right side, a particularly large wound on his chest and above his knee. The dark man jogged forward to help his friend, but Dyne obstinately raised the shotgun again. "Stay the fuck back," he panted.

"Dyne, c'mon," Barret begged, sounding desperate, "You're gonna die if you don't take care of those wounds!"

Continuing as though he had heard nothing, Dyne muttered, "Back then, my arm wasn't the only thing I lost- it was something irreplaceable. I don't know why everything went so wrong."

Barret stood where he was, as close as Dyne would let him, an understanding but melancholy look spread across his scarred face. I don't know either, man," he said, "Is this really the only way to solve this? Fightin' till one of us dies?"

"I already told you," Dyne rasped, turning to limp toward the chasm. "I _have_ to destroy everything. Everything, even me."

"What about Marlene?" Barret reasoned, "What about your daughter?"

"Think about it, Barret," Dyne said, sounding far more sane than he ever had, "how old was she when you found her? If I just walked up to her now, she wouldn't even know me." He turned, clutching his shoulder as it bled freely down his torso, "And what's more," he said sadly, "is that I think these hands are a little too stained with blood to carry Marlene."

Reaching for his throat, he pulled a small golden chain out from under his shirt. He studied the pendant for a moment before tugging the chain off from around his neck with a quick yank. He tossed it at Barret, who caught it with a stupefied look on his face. "Give that to her. It was Eleanor's- my wife's favorite thing." He turned away and limped to the edge of the chasm; the blood from his wounds had trickled down to his feet, lacing his boot prints with delicate crimson. He moved to face Barret, his back to the edge of the canyon and the cracked desert beyond, his empty eyes moving skyward. "I can't believe," he muttered peacefully, "Marlene's already four." A single tear rolled out of the corner of his eye; down his scarred and stubbly face, washing away the dirt in its thin path. "Barret, don't ever make her cry."

Barret and his companions realized what he intended to do only a split second before it happened. Dyne outstretched his arms and leaned back, slipping off the edge of the cliff and into the limitless gorge. Barret shouted his name and lurched forward, but was far too late. Dyne's form was plummeting silently out of sight.

Aeris turned to Cloud, covering her tears with her hands as she bit back a sob. He solemnly put his arm around her and gave her a small hug, his own eyes trained on the spot where Dyne had stood only moments ago. Marlene hadn't even been Barret's real daughter yet he continued to risk life and limb for her. For the briefest moment, Cloud felt slightly jealous. If his own father had been half the man Barret was, how different would he have turned out?

Barret slowly walked towards them, stopping to pick up the pendant that he had dropped when he had dove for Dyne's falling body. It was a locket, he realized, and fumbled with the tiny latch. It opened and inside, Barret saw the tiniest reproduction of Dyne and Eleanor's wedding photo. Dyne's face had been much fuller and cleaner and the mop of brown hair had been tamed. Eleanor's soft curls had been piled into an elegant bun on the top of her head and several loose strands cascaded across her fine shoulders. The white of the wedding dress only served to highlight her soft caramel eyes; the very same eyes Marlene had inherited. He closed the locket, blinking back tears, and tucked it away in his vest pocket. Looking up, he saw AVALANCHE waiting somberly; Aeris crying into Cloud's shoulder; the young man's look of sympathy mirrored in the rest of them, especially in Tifa's tearstained face.

"Me an' him were always the same," Barret muttered to Tifa as the group turned to leave, "My hands ain't any cleaner; I shouldn't be able to carry Marlene either."

Barret had learned that you had to speak to a man named Coates if you wanted to try and win the right to leave the prison when he had first been thrown in with the rest of the criminals. As they made their way back to the main enclosure, he told his companions this and that Mr. Coates could be found in his 'office'; which turned out to be the back of a freight truck.

As the group entered, two scraggly-looking prisoners stepped between them and the huge, cheap-looking desk where a man, presumably Mr. Coates, sat. Barret, wordlessly, shoved both of the guards out of his way as he stormed up to the desk. "I wanna go up," Barret said loudly, gesturing with his gun-arm.

"I already told you," Mr. Coates said, eyeing the arm mounted Gatling gun with caution, "You have to get the boss's permission and then _if_ you manage a win at the chocobo-"

"Dyne's got his reasons and can't speak," Barret barked over Mr. Coates monologue; he held out the pendant in a clenched fist.

"Holy shit!" Coates breathed softly, "Dyne's gotta be dead if you got that thing."

Barret leaned over the desk and right into the man's greasy face. "Now, I wanna go up."

"Sure, sure," the man said, waving a dismissive hand, "Now that Dyne's dead this place'll probably calm down a little. Man, that guy didn't care who the hell you were, he just killed-"

Barret lunged forward and grabbed Mr. Coates' collar, yanking him up and onto the desk. "The hell d'you know?" he roared, giving Mr. Coates a violent shake. The pseudo business man shrieked and sputtered an apology, begging Barret to put him down. "I want out and I want out of here right now," he said dangerously, tossing Coates back to his chair.

"I already told you," he muttered fearfully, "You gotta win the chocobo race and only one of you can be a racer at a time!" Barret brought his gun arm crashing down on the desk, knocking a chunk out of the outer edge. Coates shrieked again, and backed into the wall, "It's the rule! I can't change it even if you threaten me! Pick a representative and I'll tell Dio he's racing for your group, okay!? I'll call a manger down right now!"

When he was quite sure Barret was far enough away, Mr. Coates got on the phone and began conversing with several different people in succession. As Barret returned to where his comrades were standing by the door, he filled them in on the situation. "So someone's gotta race a chocobo to win our freedom. I can't do it, cause I'm too heavy."

"I certainly can't do it," Red agreed, looking up at the rest of the group.

Yuffie crossed her arms, "I'm allergic to those horrible things. I'm sure as hell not riding one."

"I know I'm not that good of a rider," Aeris admitted thoughtfully, "So I guess that leaves Cloud or Tifa."

"I'm not so sure I'd be a good choice," Tifa sighed slightly, "Those ones we rode near Kalm, well, that was only, like, my second time."

"I always get nominated for this kind of stuff," Cloud said rolling his eyes. He walked up and filled out Mr. Coates' registration forms and a suspicious insurance waiver that highlighted some of the dangers involved in Chocobo racing: _Accidental death and/or dismemberment by trampling is not covered under the liability agreement as listed above. In the event of a Chocobo attack coverage is based on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all environmental triggers as well as any provocation of the animal…_

In a few short moments, the truck door opened again and a woman stepped inside. She was wearing a violently pink housedress with a yellow gingham blouse. Her auburn hair was set in loose curls and a gold chocobo feather was tucked gingerly into the hair band that pulled her bangs out of her eyes. "Hi, there," she greeted, stepping past the guards towards Mr. Coates desk.

Mr. Coates stood up and handed a small stack of papers to her, "These are the ones that Dio had arrested when Dyne went on a rampage earlier. They were falsely accused, as it turns out, and now Mr. Strife has opted to represent them in the next race."

Nodding, the woman turned to shake Cloud's hand. "I'm Ester," she said warmly, "and I'll be your manager." Cloud took her hand and returned the greeting, briefly introducing his companions. "Well then," Ester began, sizing him up, "We need to get you ready for the next race. Mr. Coates? See that his friends are lead up to one of the lounges," she turned to Barret and the others, "I'll join you once the race starts."

Mr. Coates chuckled fondly, "She looks weird, but she's definitely one of the better managers out here."

"Rude as ever, I see." Ester shot back, looking affronted. "Well then, Mr. Strife, let's get you suited up." Snatching his arm, she led him outside and to the main service elevator that climbed up the main stalk of the park.

Another race manager had appeared to lead Tifa and the others up to a suite like the ones they had purchased several hours before. The young man, Colin, informed them that the had several hours before the next race and that they should take the opportunity to rest since they all looked so tired and more than a little dirty. They had sent a message to Cloud's PHS informing him of the strangely lavish treatment they had received and he had replied that he had been given a similar opportunity to bathe, eat, and rest.

Yuffie groaned jealously, "Ugh, I'm starving. How come he gets to eat?"

Later, the young man returned to lead them to a VIP style box right up against the starting mark for the race. AVALANCHE had not been expecting such lavish treatment especially since they were still considered prisoners. "Dio takes the races very seriously," Colin had told them when they asked, "they generate most of the money for the Gold Saucer and he wants the racers and their guests treated well even if they came from the prison. Besides, I think he feels a little guilty now that he knows he misaccused you."

The box was huge inside, with a plush black couch and matching leather armchairs arranged to view the racetrack. Monitors were perched in the corners of the room to allow for better viewing of the entire race and an elaborate control system directed the room's temperature, called for service, as well as controlled the televisions and a hidden stereo system. Presently, the televisions were displaying race data for all the jockeys of the previous race. Colin directed a huge serving cart to be brought into the back of the room where its operator offered them bottled water, soda, a myriad of hot and cold snacks, and alcohol of every kind.

The monitors changed and displayed new race data; Cloud's name popped up at the very bottom of the screen. His data showed that he would be riding as number thirty, in blue, and had the worst odds of winning on a chocobo named "Little Miss Nina" who hadn't yet placed in a race. AVALANCHE looked at the data dismally. A man named Joe (number seven) had the best odds of winning on a bird named "Teioh". His data showed that he had placed in most of the races Teioh had participated in. With their freedom riding on Cloud's performance as a jockey, they were starting to toy with the idea of a plan 'b'. They had made their way through worse situations using force before, hadn't they? They would just have to make it to the ropeway station before guards could catch them and throw them back into the god-forsaken sand pit down below.

Just before the race, Ester entered the box to check up on them. After dismissing Colin, she joined them on the couch, carefully looking up at Cloud's race odds. "I wouldn't worry too much about the numbers," she said, noting their worried faces, "Chocobo racing is all about beating the odds and being the underdog. Besides, that chocobo loved him, she'll probably do okay."

She had barely finished speaking when a greasy looking bookie appeared in the doorway a moment, eagerly holding a notepad and pen. "Any bets?"

They looked at him apathetically until Barret reached over the back of the couch and handed him a small stack of bills. "Thirty in first."

The bookie cocked an intrigued eyebrow and happily removed the money from Barret's hand and made a small note in his book. "I can see you have a taste for the tough bets, sir," he acknowledged with a tone as greasy as his hair, "That's quite a long shot but if it happened the payoff would be astronomical."

His eyebrows rose even higher when Tifa reached out with her own bills. "Same here."

"Me, too!" Yuffie said, digging through her pockets for a small mound of crumpled bank notes.

"And me!" Aeris piped up, holding out her own money.

The bookie left, looking pleased, and made furious little notes on the pad of paper he was carrying. He had barely left the luxurious box when the loudspeakers blared to life around them. The jockeys came out onto the track in a neat line based on their starting positions. Six jockeys were introduced before Cloud's chocobo came cantering up to the center position, jerking him about as he tried to remain balanced on the huge bird. The silk jacket and cap Cloud had been provided with were both blue, and bared the Gold Saucer's logo. Inside the box, Barret and the others chuckled slightly at how Cloud's wild blond hair was escaping mutinously out from under the jockey's cap.

The chocobos took their places at the gate, waiting anxiously for the starting bell. Cloud noticed that Nina was a little fidgety, even though she had been supremely apathetic when Ester had let him into her stable. Ester had warned him that this bird was prone to burning up all her stamina in the beginning of the race and was usually exhausted by the end. Cloud positioned himself a little lower against her neck as the riders next to him did the same. He was a total novice, but Ester had made the practical point that the chocobo is the one doing all the work; that he only had to supervise. Running her words over again in his mind quelled some of his nervousness. A bell rang loudly behind him and the gate burst open in front of him. Nina lunged forward with all the other birds, completing the rainbow of frenzied feathers and jockeys.

"And they're off!" shouted the announcer over the loudspeakers. "Millefueille almost bobbles at the start! She's catching up to the pack, Teioh leading with S.O.S not far behind."

Inside the VIP box, AVALANCHE was cheering madly. Cloud and Nina were towards the back of the group, but at least they had a good start without the stumble that Millefueille had; it had probably cost her and her rider the most crucial nanoseconds of the race.

"Teioh falls behind S.O.S and As Good As It Gets; Nautical Adventure climbing up from the back ranks but the gap closes as Jumping To Conclusions and Ravin' Ryan struggle to keep up with the leaders around the first bend!"

The cheering inside the lounge had risen to frenzied shouts; the two chocobos in the lead were blocking Joe and Teioh from taking a huge sprint ahead of the pack. As the chocobos in the center part of the pack battled to get ahead of each other, they were slowly wearing out. Cloud and Nina, along with a chocobo called Why Not Me? were steadily racing at the back end of the pack, while the chocobo that stumbled, Millefueille, seemed to have given up on placing and was running leisurely behind them.

"The pack turns into the home stretch, Teioh still blocked from the front by S.O.S and As Good As It Gets; he's going to have a hard time, Teioh's a notorious inside-runner!" the announcer was yelling excitedly, "Here comes the final push! Little Miss Nina and Why Not Me? come charging up from the back!"

Sure enough, all the chocobos had abandoned their blocks and picked up the pace as the finish line became visible around the final bend. Cloud and Nina really put on the speed as they pushed into the pack, past Ravin' Ryan. Suddenly, a gap opened and Cloud took it, urging Nina forward and leaning low against her sun-colored neck. Nina seemed to gratefully accept the command to finally sprint and started gaining ground on the leaders.

Tifa and the others were screaming and leaning forward in their chairs, unable to believe that Cloud was so deftly pushing Nina to sprint through the closing gap as the finish line sped towards them.

Cloud slipped between As Good As It Gets and Nautical Adventure just milliseconds before they closed the gap, only just realizing what he was about to do.

"Oh my god! Little Miss Nina is right behind the leaders from the back! Little Miss Nina's going for it! She's in the money!"

Cloud was neck and neck with Joe and Teioh. Joe's midnight black chocobo pressed towards the inside rail, hoping to squeeze around S.O.S. on the inside. Nina seemed to know that she couldn't make it with S.O.S. purposely hanging onto the rail so she shot around him on the outside edged and lowered her head in the final paces to the finish line.

"It's Little Miss and S.O.S! Little Miss and S.O.S! Oh my god, folks, its gonna be a photo finish!"

Barret was shouting at the top of his voice and crushed the beer can in his hand in excitement. Cloud and Nina had just raced up next to the leader and was neck in neck for first. Aeris and the others jumped up from their seats and were screaming as Nina gave the final push and edged in front of S.O.S. just as they took the final stride over the finish line.

AVALANCHE exploded into earsplitting cheers as the finish line cameras went off and Nina finished half a second before S.O.S. Cameras flashed from the regular stands above them as Cloud and Nina, followed by S.O.S and Teioh, was led to the winners' circle where each chocobo was laden with a ring of flowers. Nina cooed happily as reporters and Gold Saucer officials crowded around her and her novice rider.

Cloud burst into the hotel room where Ester had instructed the rest of the companions to wait while she spoke to Dio about their pardon. Yuffie cried out at his arrival, causing the others to look up and begin chattering excitedly about the race. He had traded in his jockey silks for his usual outfit of navy blue pants and a ribbed shirt, but he still smelled faintly of chocobo.

"That was amazing!" Aeris was gushing, "I can't believe you won!"

"Me either," Cloud admitted breathlessly, running a hand through his hair. "The chocobo just knew what it was doing."

"We just made a mother-fuck-load o' cash," Barret put in from behind Aeris. "We all bet on the long shot that you'd come in first."

The wide grin on his face melted into an expression of surprise, "You bet on me? How much did you bet?"

Barret exchanged a knowing look with Tifa, who leaned back and crossed her arms in a satisfied sort of way. "Almost everything," she admitted with a smile, "We all put in our own money and since your odds were so bad, the return was ridiculous."

Cloud was about to reply, when a sharp knock on the door interrupted their celebrations. Yuffie, who was closest, opened it to find Ester standing outside holding an envelope and looking professionally pleased. "Congratulations," she greeted happily, "Dio's asked me to give you this letter."

She walked past Yuffie to hand the cream-colored envelope to Cloud, who took it and tore it open. Unfolding the letter inside, he read aloud:

_Dear Boy,_

_Congratulations on a victory well deserved. Your racing skills were highly impressive and if you continue winning races so spectacularly you could easily be our next star jockey. Mr. Coates and Ms. Ester have informed me about Dyne's rampage and how you so heroically put an end to such a violent problem and, now that you are victorious, I grant you and your friends a full pardon. In addition, by way of apology, I've prepared a gift for you that will aide you on your travels as well as a free stay in the presidential suite with an assistant who will make sure you are taken care of. I apologize for not being able to present this gift to you in person, but I am a very busy man. If you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to ask._

_Sincerely,_

_Dio_

"Gift?" asked Cloud, peeking into the empty envelope, "What's he talking about?"

Ester smiled knowingly and held up a set of keys on a tiny ring. "That would be this; he's presented you with a terrain vehicle." She was answered by several excited shrieks from Aeris, Yuffie, and Tifa, a violent bout of grateful cursing on Barret's part, and stunned but happy looks from Cloud and Red.


	20. Speculation of Memory

I hate, hate, hate this chapter. I cut it off at about five pages so I hope its enough to keep you guys interested for now. I just wanted to get the events here over with so I could move onto Red's back story next chapter. I got Zack's last name from Crisis Core – in case you were wondering. Anyway, thanks for reading and see you next time. : )

12/24 - ARGH… had to delete and reload because something in the middle disappeared.

Chapter Twenty

Speculation of Memory

Their pit stop in Gongonga was supposed to be just that: a pit stop. Cloud grimaced deeply as he reminded himself that he was not one of those lucky few for whom everything turned out as it should. He seemed to be, in fact, one of the _unlucky_ few that had everything turn horribly wrong at every opportunity. He silently cursed Murphy's Law and wondered what he was supposed to do.

Barret, Yuffie, and Red had remained at the edge of the forest to guard the new van they had secured from Dio as the vehicle wasn't able to drive the unpaved road. Needing supplies Cloud had elected himself to travel the short distance to the village but Tifa and Aeris had tagged along for the walk. He was alone with the girls, and by some freak occurrence, simply happened to hear someone talking down the path towards the tiny town of Gongonga. Cautiously, he had moved off the road and into the hedge line to get a glimpse at the speakers- he had expected townsfolk. Instead they found the Turks; or at least two of them. Reno and Rude were deep in conversation, sitting on a downed log at the edge of the path. That had led them to their current situation: Tifa, Aeris, and himself waiting hesitantly behind some bushes eavesdropping on the Turks, in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.

"C'mon," Reno was saying slyly through the cigarette hanging from his thin lips, "what are you getting so embarrassed about?" Rude's unreadable face was slightly pink and he grumbled noncommittally in response. "Who do you like? C'mon," the red head badgered further.

Rude's mouth seemed to quiver hesitantly before finally giving in. "Tifa," he grunted.

Reno crowed with laughter, looking delightedly surprised. "Damn, that's a toughie!" the lanky Turk held his hands up to his torso imitate breasts, "I can see the appeal though, huh Rude?"

In the bushes, Tifa's fists clenched. She was really, _really _starting to despise the Turks; especially Reno. Cloud glanced at her imperceptibly, gauging her reaction and on his other side Aeris' face was a mask of fear.

Reno sighed, as Rude struggled to control his embarrassed countenance, "That sucks for Elena, she was totally hot for you, yo."

"No," Rude said, looking pleased for the opportunity to draw the conversation away from himself. "She's got it for Tseng."

The red head looked scandalized, "Really? I never knew that!" He rubbed his stubbly chin thoughtfully, "This is getting complicated, yo. Tseng likes that Ancient chick."

In the bushes, Cloud leaned in towards Aeris. "You'd better go get the others; me and Tifa will stay here and fight them if it comes to it."

"If there's two of them, there's bound to be more," Aeris whispered, looking a little ill at the prospect of Tseng's supposed admiration of her. "I can't fight them off and they'll capture me and it'll be ShinRa Headquarters all over again."

Tifa nodded her agreement. Aeris _was_ a little prone to being a liability on the battle field, no use in leaving her out in the open for Tseng or Elena to find. Aeris' emerald eyes were very worried, she was afraid of being forced back to the ShinRa- to the labratories.

Cloud nodded, glaring at them. "C'mon, we'll have a better chance if we get the jump on them."

"Not that I'm afraid," Aeris put in softly, touching Cloud's shoulder, "But I think I'll stay here and wait to surprise them with magic."

Tifa and Cloud both exchanged slightly humored looks before Tifa clenched her fists, "Alright, I'll go first and draw them together and then you can attack from behind." Without another word, she stood to her full height and strode into the clearing.

Reno and Rude both looked up from their conversation, shock comically written all over their faces. Rude cleared his throat and straightened his tie; the slightly pink tinge to his face returning. "Well," Reno said silkily recovering from his initial surprise, putting out his cigarette on the bottom of his boot, "What's a babe like you doing all by yourself out here in the woods? If you say 'please' maybe I could keep you company, yo."

Tifa lowered into a fighting stance, the leather of her gloves creaking ominously. "Get bent, pig."

Rude slipped on a pair of fingerless black gloves and leaned forward in a boxing stance Tifa recognized as Reno causally pulled out his nightstick. "Where's chocobo-boy?" Reno sneered, "Will he get here in time to save you after we've beaten you to a pulp? I wanted to repay him for what he did in Sector 7." He hardly had time to wipe the snarl off his face before Tifa shot forward like a bullet. He barely dodged her first hook, but she managed to catch him with a kick in the ribs. Rude lunged forward to help but was stopped as Cloud, with an ear-splitting battle shout, came charging out of the bushes swinging his sword at the bald Turk with all his strength. Rude swore under his breath as he leapt backwards to avoid getting sliced in half.

Tifa flew into battle, letting her anger and drive for revenge guide her. Reno was a disgusting slob of a man and she wasn't the type of girl to forgive and forget the low blow to the stomach he had given her during their last meeting. Falling into a crouch after a botched kick to the head, she leapt up behind her right fist, aiming for a jaw-shattering uppercut. Reno had foreseen the pattern and only managed to dodge the blow by stumbling backwards.

She refused to let him have space to use his electrified club; racing forward in one long stride she snatched the front of his navy blue jacket and violently jerked him closer. He had been waiting for a punch, not a grab, and his aquamarine eyes widened with the realization that something worse was probably coming. She pulled his jacket downwards, and Reno lost balance and started to stumble. Just as he pitched forward, she brought her bare knee flying up to his face. The impact exploded in Reno's nose and forehead and he fell backwards from the force of the blow.

He lay on his back for a second; his brain madly trying to process what had just occurred. Warm blood was oozing out of his nose, and he couldn't decide whether it was broken or not. He clambered to his feet, seething and starting to regret not taking her seriously from the start. Tifa was standing a few feet away, her chest heaving with exertion. Her fists were still clenched tightly and she looked more than willing to continue the battle. "Alright, yo," he spat, wiping some of the blood off his face with the back of his suit sleeve, "I guess I shouldn't go easy on you just 'cause you're a girl."

"I'll teach you never to make that mistake again," she spat back arrogantly, falling into another stance. A surprised shout and a loud clattering caused both of them to turn around, though, and they saw that by some miracle, Rude had managed to knock the sword out of Cloud's hands and they were now grappling with all the grace and dignity of school boys as they fell to the ground and began taking turns slugging each other in the nose.

Reno was really starting to get angry now, these punks were more trouble than they were worth and not to mention insufferably cocky. Tifa's attention was still drawn to where Rude and Cloud were struggling at the edge of the clearing; she seemed about ready to run over and help. Being an opportunistic man by nature, Reno took the opening and tackled Tifa, intent on simply shooting her as he reached for his gun.

She yelped in surprise as she hit the grassy ground and she struggled against his weight. It was his turn to cry out in surprise, though, when a javelin of ice missed his face by centimeters. Aeris had stood up from her hiding place in the bushes and was commanding her own assault of various elemental weapons. Seeing her opportunity to drive him away from Tifa, she flung burst after burst of fire at him. He threw an arm over his face to shield himself and called to his partner, "You about ready to leave?"

"Whenever you're ready," Rude replied calmly as he gave Cloud one last hook to the jaw. Cursing under his breath, Reno flipped them the bird and retreated through the trees, Rude followed slowly, adjusting his shades as he turned.

Deciding to leave the clearing in a timely fashion, the pressed forward onto Gongonga knowing that their cover was blown and that speed was their only real safety. After they had passed through the town gates, they made a beeline to the general store. They browsed the shelves of potions and medicines, grabbing what they needed and adding it to their growing basket. "Y'know," Tifa voiced quietly so that other shoppers could not overhear, "There was something weird about the way Reno and Rude were just hanging out in the woods. It's like, they were waiting for us."

"What, you don't think they knew we were coming, do you?" Aeris whispered, looking worried.

"How could they?" Cloud asked, trying to hide his worry.

"Oh god," Aeris moaned quietly, "you don't think someone could be reporting to the ShinRa?"

"I don't even want to think that there might be a spy," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I trust everyone; even Yuffie seems pretty genuine when she says she hates the ShinRa."

Tifa and Aeris both agreed with him, and closed their mouths to further debate; they could not, however, shake the sudden worry of the intrusive thought. They made their final decisions and hurriedly brought them to the counter where the proprietor, running the small shop out of his home, sat reading a newspaper behind the chipped wooden counter. Cloud put the shopping on the lacquered surface as the man smiled cheerfully at them as he put the paper down. He was busy adding their total up on an old, beaten calculator when he looked up at Cloud's face and suddenly stopped what he was doing. "Boy, are you in SOLDIER?" he pressed desperately, startling them with his urgency.

"Uh, formerly," Cloud affirmed.

"I noticed the mako-glow of your eyes," he said excitedly, "Perhaps you could help me; my son was a First Class and he went missing about five years ago. Did you know anybody named Zack Fair?"

Aeris inhaled sharply and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Zack? I didn't know he was even from here," she looked on the verge of tears.

"You know him?" the old man seemed ecstatic, "He wrote us letters before he went missing about a girlfriend he had started seeing, could that have been you?"

"I lost contact with him, too," she said shakily, fighting back tears. Her mouth opened to say more, but she turned and ran out the door.

Cloud shot Tifa a questioning glance, but he saw that her face had fallen miserably, and the shimmer of tears hung in her eyes. Surprised he asked her what the matter was, but she turned her back to him and followed Aeris outside without another word. "What the hell's wrong with you two?" he called after them, surprised at their sudden and unexplainable reactions. He paid the man, who thanked him for even no news of his son's disappearance.

Outside he saw Tifa leaning up against the wall of the building, wiping her eyes with the back of her gloved hand. She saw him coming and hastily sniffled and tried to look like she hadn't been crying. "What's wrong with you," he asked, sounding a little harsher than he meant to, "you know the guy?"

The misery on her face became more pronounced as she sputtered, "No."

"You sure look like you do," Cloud pressed, feeling annoyed for some reason.

"I said I didn't!" she shot back with a little more force.

Silently they walked towards the edge of town where Aeris sat by the main gate brushing the tears off her pink cheeks. "He's dead," she choked, "I don't know how it happened, but his soul returned to the Planet." They looked at her; Tifa's misery seemed to intensify in reaction to Aeris' sadness. "I can't tell his father, he'll… he won't believe that I know."

"Who is this guy?" Cloud asked, starting to feel irritated that he seemed to be the only one who didn't know what was going on.

"I told you already," she said sadly, "he was my first boyfriend. He went missing five years ago after some assignment and I never heard from him again."

"He died on assignment, didn't he?" Tifa muttered.

Aeris shook her head softly, her long braid swaying. "No, I felt him return to the Planet much later."

"Really?" Tifa asked looking confused. "He didn't die five years ago?"

"It was," Aeris stuttered, looking as though she was about to start crying again, "about a month ago, maybe a week or two before Cloud fell through my roof."

Tifa's brow furrowed and she walked ahead of them out of town, leaving Cloud and Aeris watching her form retreating into the wooded road. Inexplicably annoyed at her, Cloud hefted his shopping and helped Aeris to her feet, moving to follow the path back to where the rest of team waited.

She gave one last look at the lonely little village. "Zack, SOLDIER, First Class, the same as Cloud…"


	21. Scarlet Earth, Emerald Flow

Chapter Twenty-One

Scarlet Earth, Emerald Flow

With Gongonga and the Turks hardly a speck in their rear-view mirror, Cloud drove the van farther along the continent. He was pleased that they now had such a reliable method of travel but the fact that they hadn't seen any sign of Sephiroth since they had docked in Costa del Sol frustrated him. His and Tifa's old home of Nibelheim was a few hundred miles north of their current position and Cloud, by some unexplainable intuition, felt that Sephiroth would undoubtedly head there. He hadn't voiced these feelings to the others yet, but that was the general course of their current direction. There were still a few days of travel between Gongonga and Nibelheim anyway, not to mention the huge red plateaus of the nameless mountain range that was protected by humid, dense jungles sprouting at the foothills.

Red, seemingly familiar with the area, had directed them to a hidden road through the jungles along the outside edge of the mesas that was both well travelled and relatively free of obstacles. Their trek through the jungle made them doubly pleased to have the luxury of the van. The sunlight was choked out by the dense foliage of the moss covered trees and the humidity was starting to become noticeable even inside the vehicle. Cloud was grateful for Red's direction because when the finally broke from the main patch of thick jungle, a huge river lay between loose sandy banks and a conveniently placed rickety, mossy bridge perched on stilts across its width.

After the rickety bridge, their ascent into the plateaus was much easier on the nerves. The paths through the canyons were wide and mostly even, save for several large potholes that caused the van to bounce wildly if Cloud accidentally drove over them. The road wound like a snake to and fro through the mesas, and the drive was slow, albeit far speedier and more comfortable than actually walking it. Around sunset, Cloud suggested that they pull over to make camp, but Red, in an uncharacteristically impatient moment, urged them to travel further. Cloud agreed; the more distance they covered, the better.

As they passed between to walls of solid crimson rock, a loud clunking noise caused everyone to exchange startled, worried looks. Cloud tried to locate the source of the noise when another, louder set of clunks set them all on alert. Peering into the rear-view mirror, Cloud moaned when he saw the remnants of the fan belt bouncing along behind them accompanied by a handful of small metal bits. The engine cut out and they idled to a stop along the canyon wall. "Oh, you're fucking kidding me," Cloud nearly shouted as he punched the dash board in anger and frustration. They exited the vehicle and stood around it in a half circle, Cloud, Barret, and Yuffie bemoaning their awful luck. Barret finally said what no one wanted to hear. "Can't replace no fan belt out here. We're gonna have to abandon the van."

"Come with me," Red said suddenly, facing the mouth of a narrow trail that none of them had noticed, "There's a village at the summit.'

The lion-like beast lead them up the narrow trail at a quick pace. It curved around the edge of a plateau and ended abruptly at the front gate of a village, just as Red told them. This town was unlike anything Cloud or the others had ever seen. The buildings were nestled right into the natural curve of the mountain and tall windmills were perched on the outcroppings to, assumedly, provide the small city with electrical power. A winding path led upwards to the pinnacle where an observatory sat, peering interestedly into the red evening sky. As Red approached the gate, the guardsman gave a strangled cry at the sight of him. It wasn't until Cloud caught a glimpse of the man's broad grin that he realized that the guard was most pleased at the sight of Red. "Nanaki is back!" he shouted joyfully to some cohorts who were passing his station, "Go get the elder!" One of them stood stupidly with a look of great relief on his face while the other turned and bolted up the path towards the observatory.

Red walked to the gate keeper and greeted him jovially, "I must see my grandfather and I cannot wait. Will you see that my friends are properly treated?" He gestured to where Cloud and the others stood with a heavy paw.

"Certainly, Nanaki!" the man said happily, "Bugenhagen will be so very happy to see you!" After Red had disappeared up the path to the observatory, the gate keeper turned to Cloud and the companions and bowed deeply. "Please follow me," he said, smiling brightly, "I'll show you to your rooms. I'm so happy to see that Nanaki has gained companions he trusts enough to bring home."

"Who," Cloud asked, unable to stop himself, "is Nanaki?"

The gatekeeper gave the young mercenary a look that plainly questioned his intelligence. He said simply: "That was the name given to him at his birth."

The man offered no name for himself, but simply led them to a natural cave on the ground level of the town that had been furnished and converted into a makeshift bedroom. "Here is where you will sleep," the man said, gesturing to the fur-lined beds, "And the ladies may occupy the adjoining chamber." He pulled aside a heavy orange curtain to reveal a second room that was equally comfortable. "I expect," he went on, "that Bugenhagen will want to see you at dinner, so I'm sure he'll send someone to collect you in a few hours' time."

As the man left the room with a bow, Barret dropped his pack on the foot of a bed. "I never knew his name was Nanaki. Why didn't he jes' say so?"

"Yeah," Tifa said, looking a little sullen, "I feel pretty stupid for just calling him 'Red' all the time… now that I think about it, it sounds like a dog name."

Yuffie couldn't stop herself from snorting with laughter, "He's got his own reasons for not telling you everything. If he wanted you to know he would've told you."

Aeris rolled her eyes at the young ninja, wondering where the sudden comment had come from. "Maybe he didn't tell us because he didn't think he could trust us. Maybe he never corrected us because he didn't care. Try not to feel bad, Tifa."

They had comfortably unpacked and were lazing about the bedrooms when a young girl arrived to bring them to dinner a long hour later. Outside, the sun had already set and the inky blackness of night had nestled over the village. The sky was free of the taint of city lights and the stars were as clear as Cloud could ever remember seeing them. A huge orange moon was rising lazily rising on the horizon, over the glimpse of ocean visible to them. The girl led them up the main path, but took an offshoot to a warmly lit dining room where a low table sat in the middle of the floor, surrounded by mismatched cushions. At the end of the table an ancient-looking man sat next to Red and when they entered both of them stood to greet them. "Cloud," Red greeted with a toothy smile, "this is my grandfather, Bugenhagen. He is the village elder and an accomplished scholar on many subjects."

The old man smiled warmly through his snowy moustache. "Welcome to Cosmo Canyon, Cloud and companions. Nanaki has told me all about your journey thus far. Eat with us and we will discuss many things."

As they seated themselves around the table, several attendants brought dishes of piping hot food to them and Bugenhagen wasted no time in helping himself. "Nanaki tells me you are generally unfamiliar with this land, correct?"

Aeris smiled happily. "We must seem a little weird," she said with a small chuckle, "We've only known Nanaki as Red, and we've gotten so close!"

Bugenhagen chuckled himself, the lines around his eyes crinkled gleefully under his small spectacles. "Nanaki," he said with a fond glance towards the crimson cat, "Can be very reserved sometimes, but your friendship must be true if he led you here. Anyway, welcome, again, to Cosmo Canyon" said the old man with some propriety, "this is the greatest learning center in the world for those seeking the Study of Planet Life; we are all scholars here."

Aeris looked up from her dinner, "You study the Planet here? Like, biology and ecology?"

"Yes," replied Bugenhagen with a chuckle, "but also things of a more elusive nature, like cultural tides and natural wonders like the Lifestream."

"Grandfather, let me introduce you," Red offered as he cleared his throat, "This is Aeris; she is the only survivor of the Cetra."

"Goodness, yes!" Bugenhagen cried out in surprise, "Are you really, my dear? Extraordinary!"

The huge feline went around the table naming them off, as the old man happily greeted all of them. "This is Tifa, a martial artist from Nibelheim, Cloud is an ex member of the ShinRa's SOLDIER, Barret, the leader of the original AVALANCHE, and Yuffie, a young ninja we met along the way."

"I'm so glad that you were kind enough to rescue Nanaki and help him return home," Bugenhagen said, punctuating it with his eccentric chuckle.

Red looked a little affronted. "Grandfather, please, I am not a child, I am forty-eight years old."

The old sage waved him off with a dismissive hand that only seemed to offend him further. "Now, now, don't try to mislead your friends," he said with a mollifying smile, then he turned to Cloud and the others, "Nanaki's tribe has amazing longevity; at his age of forty-eight, by our reckoning he would only be about fifteen or sixteen years old."

Yuffie choked on a mushroom she had just popped into her mouth. "Sixteen? That's how old I am."

"But," Tifa stuttered in surprise, "he's so… _mature_."

"He is, isn't he," Bugenhagen said with the affection of a kindly father, "He's very deep and reserved so it is easy to mistake him for an adult."

Red sighed in a depressed sort of way, still looking a little irritated. "I _want_ to be an adult, grandpa. I want to grow up and protect this village and all of the people here."

Aeris wore a very kind smile when she said, "That's very selfless and brave of you."

"This is where I was born," Red said, sitting a little straighter on his haunches and swelling with pride, "my tribe has protected this canyon through the ages. My brave mother fought and died here after my cowardly father fled and left her for dead. Now, I am the sole survivor of my race. That is the mission I have inherited from my ancestors; I will protect this canyon. That is why," he stated, though he couldn't quite hide the disappointment in his deep voice, "my journey ends here."

Cloud swallowed the lovely morsel of roast that he had put into his mouth and his curiosity won out over his desire to be polite, "Cowardly father?"

"Yes," the cat answered, and like his disappointment at leaving the friends he had come so far with, he couldn't quite conceal the anger in his tone, "my father was a scoundrel who fled the canyon during a vicious battle with a neighboring tribe. My whole family was killed in the process- I myself was an infant cub at the time and only survived because my grandfather hid me. To wipe away the sins of my father, I must protect this canyon with courage and wisdom."

Bugenhagen put down his fork and looked towards his adoptive grandson. "Nanaki," he said gently, "you are unable to stand on your own just yet. To rush maturity without development would only destroy you in the long run. You must grow and learn in spite of all obstacles; even in the very face of death. Even in the face of death for the Planet, you must learn and grow and accept that you are merely a part of the moving consciousness of the Planet.'

They were all silent for several long moments, each dwelling on the old sage's words. Aeris, her face glowing from the warm candlelight, looked worried. "What do you mean," she asked quietly, not quite meeting Bugenhagen's spectacled eyes, "Death for the Planet?"

"It could be tomorrow or a century away but, my dear, knowing what you are I know you must hear it."

"Hear what?" Yuffie asked, her plate of food momentarily forgotten.

"The cries of the Planet."

Aeris couldn't stop herself from gasping and she looked at Bugenhagen with shock and slight fear in her crystal eyes, "You couldn't be a…"

"A Cetra, dear?" When she nodded wordlessly, the old man chuckled and pushed his small glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. "Certainly not, child, but anyone can hear the cries if they listen hard enough. Go on then. Listen." He held up his hands for silence and as if on cue, a horrible, hollow moan howled like wind through a cave. Aeris was the only one present who didn't clap her hands over her ears in surprise. The sound was terrible; like the dying sigh of a wounded animal. Cloud could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and goose bumps showed plainly on everyone's arms. The noise was unlike anything they had ever heard or could even imagine hearing- it was so ethereal that the line between imagination and reality was frighteningly blurred. Was the noise in their minds? What is a physical sound?

"What the _fuck _was that?" Barret demanded, his dark eyes as wide as saucers.

"That, my friend," the sage replied calmly, "was a scream from this Planet; 'I hurt, I suffer' it says, quite plainly."

The resulting silence was thick, but Red cleared his throat and leaned closer to his guardian, "Grandpa, these people are trying to save the Planet. They have tried to hinder the ShinRa and a greater enemy from reaching the Promised Land of legend. Perhaps you could show them your observatory."

The old man chuckled again. "Perhaps, Nanaki, but after dinner. For now, being fed and watered will be priority." The rest of dinner carried on in relative silence, awkward snatches of small talk punctuated the long stretches of quiet. As the plates were being cleared away by an attendant nearly an hour later, Bugenhagen stood and invited them to the observatory to see some of his life's work. The path to the observatory wound in and out of the natural caves of the cliff face; in and out of rooms were people studied, laughed, and played. The final leg of the trail ended with a steep staircase that opened onto the flat plateau that overlooked the entire canyon. Cloud could see the sharp peaks of the Nibel Mountains far off in the distance, glowing like blue spikes in the moonlight.

Bugenhagen led them inside the small building perched all alone on the empty mesa; past his personal living quarters and into the main body of the observatory. The room was cramped, and AVALANCHE had to stand in a close circle as Bugenhagen operated the central console that stood squat in the middle. With a mechanical hum and a loud whirring, the platform began to rise, taking them into the domed pinnacle of the tower. With a final _bing_ several colored lights turned on, creating a beautiful holographic display of the solar system. Bugenhagen cleared his throat, exactly as Red did, sounding very much like a professor about to begin a lecture. "Everything currently known about space has been entered into this system; it can display events with only a few seconds' delay."

With a squeal of delight, Tifa suddenly pointed to an area near their own planet, "A shooting star!" Sure enough, a sparkling ball of silver came racing around the curvature of the planet, swayed by the pull of gravity.

"It is something, isn't it?" the old man said appreciatively. "Well, right to the subject then, shall we?"

With another beep, their own sapphire and turquoise planet grew and occupied the center of the observatory as the old scholar stood next to it. Red specks of light gathered at one end of the globe to make the upright figure of a man, he stood tall for a moment, before shrinking and falling to the ground. "All humans die eventually," Bugenhagen began, "what happens to them when they die? The body decomposes and returns to the Planet, as they say, but what about the soul? The consciousness?" The red of the man's prone body morphed into a swell and moved further down, reforming as a pine tree. The tree withered and died; the lights melted into a swell which repositioned itself and this time, formed a rabbit. "The hearts and souls of _all_ things return to the Planet. The spirits form a swell that flows through the Planet that we call the Lifestream. The spirits roam, converge, and divide in the endless waltz of life and death. Children are blessed with the spirit energy of the Lifestream, and are born. When it is time for them to die, their souls rejoin the swell of spirits and return to being part of the Lifestream. And it is thusly that all things live and die by this cycle." The lights on the planet had gained in energy, moving faster and faster as new people, plants, and animals began sprouting and falling as Bugenhagen explained his theories. The red lights had fallen to a glowing jade as the swell that encircled the planet began to look more and more like a spiritual ocean; tides and currents swelling and falling, new life springing from its wake and returning spirits adding to its strength. "Now imagine this: what would happen if we were to remove the spirit energy from this Planet?" The old man held a withered hand over the hologram, sucking away the green swell as though he had an invisible vacuum. The sparkling jewel colors of the oceans and land masses faded to a dusty, barren grey and a loud crack resounded. To their collective horror, the smooth orb split in half and crumbled to space dust. "And those," he said with some finality, "are the basics of the Study of Planet Life."

"If the spirit energy- Lifestream- is taken away, the Planet dies?" Cloud asked, admittedly a little spooked by what he saw.

"Spirit energy exists within nature, so it is a part of it. When it is forcefully removed, and say, manufactured, it cannot revert to its original state and carry out its true purpose."

"You're talkin' about Mako," Barret said numbly, realizing for the first time what Mako was actually doing to the Planet.

"Correct," answered Bugenhagen. "Everyday, Mako Reactors are sucking up the Lifestream, diminishing it. The reactors compress it into Mako energy and thus, living things are being used up and thrown away. Mako can only destroy the Planet."

Silence followed in the wake of the scholars words. Mako was spiritual energy? The all wondered how something so unethical had ever been supported and what lengths the ShinRa must've taken to ensure that the common folk were not aware of such knowledge. Aeris, in an uncharacteristic moment, allowed them to surmise that she was able to partially interpret the thoughts of those in the Lifestream, but when Yuffie asked if she could hear dead people better when the lights were on, the conversation was immediately truncated as the rest of AVALANCHE nearly attacked her for her audacity.

Later that night, Red led them to the Cosmo Candle; a gigantic bonfire in the town square that was kept burning at all times. It represented the burning desire for wisdom, he explained, and was a source of courage for all who looked on it. It was also customary for visitors to offer prayers to the flame. So they all sat there, watching the flame dancing across the splintering firewood and the smoke rise into the clear night sky.

They were all in relatively low spirits, especially Red, who seemed saddened by the abrupt end to his chapter in their journey but still determined to remain in his sacred home. Barret had idly mused that this was where the original AVALANCHE was formed but his neutral expression swiftly melted to one of quiet despair. With a rising voice, he vehemently declared that he didn't care what the justification was, but that he'd bring the ShinRa to its knees even at the cost of his own life. Everyone seemed a little too lost in their own thoughts to really get behind his enthusiasm, though, and even Yuffie appeared too preoccupied to complain. Aeris and Tifa both seemed unwilling to talk to anyone else, and when Cloud asked them what was wrong, Aeris blinked back tears and Tifa wouldn't look at him. Finally, all shreds of conversation started to turn towards the repairs on their vehicle, which Bugenhagen had kindly taken care of for them, and what their current plan of action was. Cloud was careful to avoid mentioning Red's retirement from the team, but did finally reveal that Nibelheim was their ultimate goal. He glanced carefully at Tifa's reaction, which seemed less than thrilled. When Barret could no longer take the heavy mood of his companions, he bluntly asked Red why he looked so down.

"I am merely a little nostalgic at the moment," he said evasively. "Once, when I was very young, we all sat around this fire, but- no, never mind. It isn't important."

"What happened?" Aeris asked, forgetting her own woes.

Red looked away as though he didn't wish to continue, but he started speaking slowly and forcefully as if he was trying to pick the perfect words. "It was about my parents. When I think about my mother, I am filled with pride and sadness, and that is good. But, when I think about my father, anger boils inside of me and I cannot keep myself from hating him."

"Is it really that hard to forgive him?"

The all turned to see the figure of Bugenhagen stepping slowly towards them, his long, violet robes covering his feet as he moved. Red looked scandalized, "Of course," he said vehemently, "He left mother for dead when the Gi attacked… everyone was killed because of his cowardice."

The old man sighed heavily and turned away from them. Over his shoulder he called to Red. "Come, Nanaki. There is something you should see. If these people are truly your friends, they may accompany you."

Confused, Red stood up and slowly followed the ancient man, nodding silently for the others to follow him. The decision, on Bugenhagen's part, seemed like a hard one. He was silent as he led them, once again, up the path to the observatory. Instead of taking the fork they had traversed to dinner, he continued into a furnished cave where an old door sat, ominously dark, in the corner. Red seemed to realize that Bugenhagen intended to open this door, but kept his jaws clamped tightly shut. His grandfather had all but forbid mentioning this mysterious forbidden door throughout his youth, and now, without preamble, he was simply going to open it? The warm glow of the torches didn't quite seem to reach the heavy iron clamps that held the door shut, and the old man's shadow cast a deeper darkness on the portal as he deftly undid the lock and swung it open.

They couldn't see within the inky blackness beyond, but the hollow howling of ages-undisturbed wind brought with it the stink of the unknown. The hairs on Red's back stood on end. The old sage gestured for the others to precede him. "It could be dangerous," he said, to mollify Red's confused expression, "I'm afraid my only strength lies in my wisdom." Red, with an involuntary shiver, gave a final glance back to his companions and entered the chamber beyond.

The room wasn't a room at all, but a black pit. Crumbling, dank stairs wound their way along the circular wall all the way to the bottom, which no one could make out. The giant feline took the lead, stepping down each step with senses on high alert. He had never been allowed here before and now he knew it was with good reason. The foul stink of the damp stairs was enough to make him wish he was back in the main chambers of the canyon. Something worse, however, tingled his senses- something that made his hair stand on end and put him on alert. He could feel the tenseness radiating off the others as well, each loosely grabbing their weapons as though expecting an attack at any moment. Bugenhagen alone seemed calm.

The bottom of the pit finally came into view, ending in a circular floor and another iron-clad door. Again, Bugenhagen reached forward to open it. The room beyond, like the black abyss, wasn't a room at all, but an open chamber of cave- they were within the walls of the red-rocked canyon itself. Determined not to falter in his chance to prove his bravery to his grandfather and his friends, Red, again, stepped into the lead. The room stretched on for nearly fifty feet, broken only by columns of ruddy rock formed by the ancient spring that had flowed here eons ago. Red hate the columns, he could've sworn he saw something moving behind them just out of sight. He took a few more tentative steps forward and stopped dead in his tracks. He was certain he saw something that time. The others stopped behind him, silent.

Far in front of them something shimmered in the dim light. They collectively inhaled, waiting for some unknown threat to come charging out from behind the columns. Red strained, knowing his heightened senses would be able to give him the advantage. Squinting, the cat looked as hard as he could at the spot where the glimmer had been. He stood stock still, calling on his hunting instincts to aid him. But there! Just to the right of his point of focus, the shimmering light appeared and disappeared. He adjusted his position. The light looked vaguely like some kind of animal, but it had disappeared far too quickly for him to indentify.

Directly in front of his nose, without any sound of warning, the hideous, mutilated face of some monster appeared. He arched his back in alarm and swiped at the thing; Cloud and the others cried out in terror at its sudden appearance. Red's onyx claws met with only smelly air- the thing had vanished. A horrified shriek behind him made him whirl around, fearing the worst. Yuffie, with a trembling hand, pointed towards the wall of the cave.

Foul, iridescent shadows of beasts lined the walls, gnashing their bloody teeth and clawing at the dirt. There were hundreds of them, coming out of the walls and out of the wet ground. Their horrible, hideous faces were bloodstained silver and some of them had been torn. Their moaning and growling was growing into an angry cacophony. An explosion of water erupted from Aeris' hands; but only managed to scatter some of the terrifying apparitions. "All of these scarred spirits," said Bugenhagen as calmly as though he were teaching in a comfortable classroom of his favorite students, "are people of the Gi Tribe, all dead from a certain battle. They hate you, Nanaki, but they also fear you."

"Convenient, but how do we get rid of them?" Cloud asked tensely, gripping his sword in front of him.

"They will not leave," replied the old man with all the interest of deciding to do the laundry, "but they will not attack. Come, we must move on. Nanaki, please lead on."

Red obliged trying not to be frightened of the ghostly beasts. He had the crazy urge to suddenly roar at the top of his lungs- to scare away the horrors, to make him braver- but he resisted. Holding his head high he forced one paw in front of the other, past the snarling ghosts towards the far end of the open room. A long, narrow corridor lead deeper into the cavern, but a breeze that was free of the stale air of the cave told them that an opening outside was not far along. The pressed further along, faster and faster, desperate for fresh air and an escape from the awful Gi. The corridor pinched in on itself and once they had cleared the small opening, the cave ended and the beautiful diamond-studded blanket of night could once again be seen.

They were in a tiny ravine, surrounded by tall cliffs. A rockslide barred their passage forward, but the old scholar had signaled a halt. "This is the back of Cosmo Canyon," he said, the heavy note of depression lacing his old voice. "The last person to travel this old cave was a lone warrior. Nanaki, you have grown stronger, and I know now that it was not a mistake to show you this place." He pointed upwards, his white, bony hand catching the moonlight.

A statue of a lion-like beast sat on the lip of the cliff, unnoticed until now. His rugged, bestial face was tensed in a grimace of pain, but it wasn't the grimace of one who succumbed to it. The poor beast's back had been pierced; the long shafts of wooden arrows sprung out the smooth stone.

"That is the lone warrior," said Bugenhagen, his voice was like thunder in the deserted ravine, "that is the one who battled the Gi one by one. He stopped them from taking even a single step into the canyon and sacrificed himself in the process. Look, Nanaki," he commanded, "Look at your father, the warrior Seto."

Red's single golden eye was wide and his jaws were gapped slightly in shock, his pearl fangs glittering in the moonlight. "That is… Seto?" His voice was thick with emotion, more than the others had ever heard.

"Seto fought the Gi here, even when the poison of their arrows had penetrated his blood so deeply the curse was irreversible he protected us. Even now, Seto's bravery protects this canyon."

Red moved forward, climbing up the rockslide to see the cursed visage of his father. When he spoke, his voice was shaking badly, giving him a stutter that was never heard in his usual eloquence. "Grandpa, did… did mother know?"

Bugenhagen smiled sadly. "Yes, she knew. She made me promise to seal this cavern and told me to forget that it even existed." Red couldn't speak; he could only climb further up the rock slide towards the otherworldly form of the frozen beast that stood on the lip of the cliff. Softly, Bugenhagen turned towards the mercenary and his companions, "Can I ask you to leave us, Cloud? I think that so long as you are quick, the Gi will not hinder you."

Cloud seemed about to sputter in protest, but Aeris snatched his hand and yanked him back towards the cave. Resigned to the dank and the horrors within, the others turned to follow at a quick trot. Once their backs disappeared into the darkness, the elderly scholar turned, once again, to the bestial grandson he was so very fond of. "Nanaki, I am sorry you were misled. I wanted to show you your father but I could never find the moment." The poor beast seemed nearly stricken; the expression on his face was such as the old man had never seen. Nanaki turned to look at Bugenhagen over his furred shoulder as he sat, a little hunched, on the rocks. "Nanaki," he began gently, "I want you to continue your journey with Cloud."

"Grandpa?" Nanaki seemed caught off guard after such a suggestion.

"They say that they are going to save the Planet and they need your strength and wisdom. Their efforts may be ultimately futile, but don't we have a responsibility to help? Isn't it important for us to try? Even if death is inevitable shouldn't we do something? I know we are all wishing against fate, but I am too old to do anything myself, Nanaki."

Nanaki seemed a little put off by the tone of the old man, "Grandpa, don't talk like that."

"Oh please," Bugenhagen croaked with a roll of his eyes. "I am one hundred and twenty this summer, I am old and I have lived a full life."

"No!" Nanaki said, suddenly wide-eyed, "I don't want to face life without you."

The old man couldn't keep the smile off his wrinkled face. "I am old, Nanaki, and you know the way of things."

"You must live!" the feline said, looking, for once, like an emotionally vulnerable teenager. "I'll continue with Cloud and the others, and I'll come back and I'll tell you everything." Bugenhagen chortled, in his eccentric way, but Nanaki wouldn't let the subject slide away lightly. "I am Nanaki of Cosmo Canyon," he said fiercely, throwing his head back, "son of the warrior Seto! I will go out into the world and earn merit as a warrior; true to that noble legacy!"

The silver moon suddenly broke through a shadow and cast a beam of pale light across the petrified body of Seto. Both looked up to see the once-proud warrior, now pathetically cursed. The illumination across the animalistic face revealed crystalline tears rolling out of blank eye sockets. Bugenhagen inhaled sharply, uttering the hero's name in shock and wonder; Nanaki's mouth was agape. "Fa- father?" he whispered, awed and heartbroken. The tears fell in droplets that glittered for a split second before disappearing into the dusty earth. Nanaki, for once accepting his bestial nature, let out a mournful howl; a cry that echoed off the dry canyon walls. Bugenhagen would never be able to forget the sound. Not even on his deathbed would the sound of Nanaki's lament escape his senses.

It was very late when Cloud and the others were finally dressed and packed; ready for the next leg of their journey. The team's mood was a little heavy, except Yuffie, who seemed more than pleased to be rid of the 'boring' canyon and its 'geeky' inhabitants. Cloud felt that the cat would at least say goodbye to them, but he hadn't returned from the ghost-cave last night. He would've worried, but the thought that Bugenhagen was there pacified him somewhat. Aeris sighed sadly as they made their way out the front gate; the same guardsman from the day before waved them a solemn goodbye. "I'm going to miss him," she said heavily as she took place between Cloud and Tifa.

"Yeah, well," Barret said with a shrug, "I guess that's the way it goes sometimes, y'know? He was kinda cool."

"Wait!"

They all turned from their progress down the narrow road to see the fiery orange feline running towards them at a gallop. "You must wait!" he panted as he reached them, "I'm coming as well."

"Really?" Aeris asked, surprised but smiling.

Tifa smiled also, looking relieved, "What happened?"

He shook his mane a little in the bright mid-morning sun, "I think I grew up a little bit; I want to help you stop the ShinRa and Sephiroth."

Cloud smirked slightly, and put a gloved hand on Red's furred shoulder. "We could use the help."


	22. Singed Pretenses

Quick Note: Vincent has quite a bit of dialog in this chapter, but it's mostly to set up his relationship to Lucrecia and all that. Don't get used to him being so chatty in the future. :O Be prepared for heavy character focus next chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Singed Pretenses

With the van parked just out of sight of Nibelheim, Cloud led the others towards the gates with apprehension bubbling in his stomach. He knew the town had been rebuilt. Its charred remains swept under the carpet of propaganda, but the sight of the quaint skyline had still surprised him. Tifa had remained relatively silent since their initial glimpse of the town earlier that day, anxiety clearly written on her face. He couldn't shake the suspicion that she was hiding something from him; she looked like she wanted to talk to him, but whenever he glanced at her, her jaw would clench and she wouldn't return his weak smile. He wanted to pry, but he admitted that the threat of Sephiroth was more important at the moment. Cloud warned them that the town was a likely pit stop for the formerly celebrated general as it was the birthplace of his insanity and bloodlust. They all took his words to heart and were equally tense as their leader.

Nibelheim had a guard tower at the main entrance to the town, but Cloud noted that it was devoid of a sentry and seemed as though a few years had passed without one- a habit that had clearly changed since his earlier visit. No one questioned them as they strode through the small cobbled main street towards the town square. Several shop proprietors glanced suspiciously at them through grimy windows but no one seemed to care who they were or what their business here entailed. As they passed the merchant lane, they came onto the main square of the town, identically cobbled (though the workmanship was far more symmetrical than Cloud ever remembered it being). After a brief moment of survey, Cloud and Tifa both cried out and pointed to two ends of the line of houses stretched quaintly in front of them.

"There's my house!" they shouted simultaneously, each pointing at a separate house. Tifa's was larger than most in the town; two full stories with huge, curtained windows. Cloud's was substantially smaller, on the other hand, and only the living room window was visible from the front end of the house. They both seemed identically shocked and a little sickened at the replicas.

"This is horrible," Tifa breathed, biting her lip. She _remembered_ the fiery night; the screams and the panic. She had seen the roof of her home collapse in a shower of sparks and a cloud of noxious smoke; but there it sat, a perfect little replica. An unfamiliar old woman was shaking a carpet out the second story window- the extra bedroom she used to play in.

Cloud looked more disgusted than furious as he glanced around the town, his eyes settling on the water tower in the town square. "It's bad enough that they created a monster strong enough to murder an entire town," he said thinly, "but pretending like it never happened? We must be the only ones who survived the fire." But even as he said this, the insecure voice in his mind reminded him that he couldn't remember how he had escaped the blaze. He silenced the thought. "C'mon, don't worry about this ShinRa backdrop, let's just go find Sephiroth."

"Where should we start?" Barret asked; glad to avoid the speculation of the town's history.

Cloud wordlessly pointed to a derelict mansion hiding at the far edge of the thoroughfare. Red, trying to recall Cloud's narrative of the incident of five years ago, explained to the others that this was where Sephiroth had actually lost his mind. Yuffie, not having heard the story in full, seemed interested and slightly frightened. She usually seemed ready for a fight, but then, when the enemy was the long-feared General Sephiroth it was hardly possible to be enthusiastic. Sill, she was not about to show weakness in front of her teammates; she had all the motivation she needed to take down the former general and that was all she needed to worry about.

As they walked along the cobbled street towards the looming mansion, Cloud glanced around the village. Some landmarks he remembered from his childhood stood before him, but then, things that should've been there were not; it made the town eerie and almost frightening. The old toy store he recalled visiting as a child had been remade into an unemployment office and the bakery his mother loved dearly was now serving the community as an apocathary. He shook his head, trying not to let the disturbing new Nibelheim get to him. Ignoring the odd looks they received from the villagers, Cloud led his friends through the gated courtyard to the stoop. The lawn was brown and patchy, overrun by tiny dandelions and small spurts of clover. If it was possible for a building to look dusty and faded on the outside, this was a shining example.

The mansion was old and the rotten door hardly resisted as Cloud pushed it in. Small beams of pale light shone in through the red, moth-eaten curtains, illuminating flecks of dust that fell through the musty air. The young mercenary unsheathed his sword and gripped it tightly, mentally steeling himself for an attack at any moment. Scanning the floor carefully, he was unable to locate any trace of fresh footprints in the thick layer of gray dust. He signaled the others to follow and silently as they could, they made their way to the once-grand staircase that would take them to the mezzanine. The floorboards screamed in agony with every step, and even though Cloud strongly suspected that Sephiroth wouldn't need the warning, he still wanted to be as quiet as possible. He led them up the stairs, knowing that the secret entrance to the library was hidden in a bedroom. Still holding his sword out in front of him, he ascended the staircase with care as the others nervously trailed him.

He tried as hard as he could, but he could not stop the flow of memories from resurfacing. The last time he had searched this mansion for Sephiroth, he was a moony-eyed kid looking for another opportunity to suck-up to his idol, but now, he wanted to find him and kill him. The horror of seeing his home in flames, his mother mutilated in the collapsed wreckage, and Tifa nearly gutted was more strain than one could take. Was vengeance the only thing keeping him sane? He almost laughed at the idea. Did it really matter? No, he answered himself. The only thing that mattered was taking Sephiroth down; to make him hurt and suffer the way Cloud had hurt and suffered all these years. Once Sephiroth was good and dead he might take the time to worry about what would come next.

He was brought back to the present at the top of the stairs when Aeris, touching his arm lightly, pointed to a scrap of paper on the ground. Hefting the sword in his right hand, Cloud reached and picked it up, giving it a brief glance. "It's a page from a journal or something," he said, handing it back to her.

She read it, frowning slightly. "Whoever wrote this is a maniac. He says he's locked someone in the basement."

"Don't worry about it," he said dismissively, moving forward towards the second bedroom where the secret door was.

She frowned a little deeper, "We ought to check this out, someone may need our help."

"No one's been in here for five years, Aeris, let's just go."

She remained perfectly calm in the face of Cloud's anxiousness. "He goes onto say that the key is in a safe upstairs and look," she held out the aging parchment to him, "he wrote down the combination."

"I dunno about this," Barret whispered, "You think Sephiroth coulda left that for us to find?"

"Well, it doesn't seem like Sephiroth's style," Tifa admitted, peering over Cloud's shoulder to glance at the writing.

"You guys," Cloud huffed, looking irritated, "no one has been here for years. If someone _was_ locked in the basement, they'd be long dead."

Red seemed to consider a moment before speaking up, "Do we really have anything to lose by checking, Cloud? The search could prove beneficial."

"Or deadly," Yuffie put in with a roll of her eyes.

"Time is something we don't have," Cloud argued in a whisper, "we need to confront Sephiroth before he gets away."

"We _really_ should see if someone is hurt down there," Aeris insisted with the rare tone of confrontation in her smooth voice. "Besides, we don't know for sure whether Sephiroth is even down here."

Cloud clamped his mouth shut for a second, feeling impatience burning within him. "Fine," he conceded after a moment, finding it difficult to refuse her calm demeanor, "Let's just be quick about it though, alright?"

"Deal," replied Aeris, looking satisfied. "Now, we need to find a safe to try this combination on."

"I'm not sure," Cloud said slowly, his pale brow furrowing, "but I think there's one in that room across the hall."

As per Cloud's suggestion, they deviated from the bedroom to the study across the way. Sure enough, when they opened the door, a heavy gray safe could be spotted under the rosewood desk, looking ominously newer than it's surroundings. The dark of the metal did not match it's dusty wooden surroundings, nor did it coordinate with the metal trim on the lamp or with the wrought iron accent table upturned in the far corner. Nodding to the others, Aeris crouched down in front of the metal cube; her pink skirt brushing faint lines in the thick dust. Carefully studying the parchment for a moment, she reached forward and began to input the combination. Red approached, listening carefully for the telltale click of success.

They were all admittedly surprised when the safe clicked and Aeris cautiously swung the door open. Inside, a mess of papers covered a small, silver key. The young flower seller happily pocketed the key and quickly sifted through the papers. The smile melted from her face, though, as the information was digested. She pointed to certain sentences and began to read with interest. "These are from Hojo," she whispered to the others, "they look like experimental notes or a lab report."

"Well, I think the basement was his private library," Cloud offered, scraping his mind for details.

"We should be able to comb it, if Sephiroth does not make an appearance," Red said neutrally, not wanting to sound as though he was combative to Cloud's assertion that Sephiroth would indeed show himself.

More concerned with the lab report, Aeris pulled their attention back to it. The details of this particular project were rather gruesome. A subject's arm had been amputated with a bone saw and the emotionless notes revealed that no anesthesia had been administered. A note in the margin described the blood pressure of the victim and the total amount of blood lost, which seemed to make them all paler. There were also rambling, quasi-insane bullet points outlining some sort of mental experiment with a monster. The information was difficult to make out but it seemed to involve tainting a normal human mind somehow. Disgusted, Aeris tossed the report onto the old desk, feeling the old fear of the scheming scientist welling within her. What was Hojo trying to discover by sawing someone's arm off? Had it been an interrogation? Could something like that truly be an experiment?

Cloud, finally satisfied that they could continue, made his way to the secret door. Still no footprints were visible in the plush carpets and though the fact should have made them calmer, it only served to frighten them a little more. The wall the opened into the hidden basement slid noisily on hidden runners as he guided it aside. The musty air rose to greet them as they began the careful descent into the dark. The wood of the mansion walls faded into bedrock about halfway down, where the scaffolding grew moldy and perilous. They were all quite glad to be back on solid ground again and when they had all regained their nerves, they followed Cloud as he stalked along the corridor. At the end of the unadorned cave, the door to the library sat. It was tightly closed, but Cloud could almost _feel_ Sephiroth waiting within.

He turned back to the companions, signaling for quiet as he guestured to the door. They nodded gravely and readied their weapons in silence. When he was satisfied, he stepped forward, intent on kicking in the door and, hopefully, gaining the element of surprise as they moved to confront their enemy. His plan remained untested, however, when Barret pointed excitedly to a low, wooden door that was partially hidden in shadow. Aeris retrieved the key from her dress pocket and studied it for a moment, realizing for the first time that the key was engraved with a beautiful yew tree that was a twin to the one engraved on the plaque where the doorknob hung over an old fashioned key hole.

Quietly, she placed the key into the mechanism and with the softest _thunk_, the lock was released and she cautiously opened the dark door. Coffins littered the stone floor. Coffins and bits of fragmented bones. They inhaled collectively. One heavy, chianti-colored box lay on a table, raised above the rest, and in much better repair than its fellows. Unable to explain the sudden attraction, Cloud moved forward and touched the smooth, beveled edge of the box. The lid was covered, just like the rest of the mansion, in a rough layer of dust. As the brush of his fingers wiped away the fuzzy gray, he saw that the coffin was not nailed shut. "Hey," he said softly to the others, resting the point of his sword on the stone ground, "it's not sealed so I guess it's empty."

Yuffie, unable to resist the temptation to taunt Cloud, put her hands on her hips and leaned a little towards him. "Why don't you open it instead of guessing?"

As if to punctuate Yuffie's chiding statement, a loud scraping suddenly scared them all out of their wits. Cloud, his mouth open to retort, instead leapt backwards in fright, upsetting several smaller coffins and stomping on a skull in the process. They held their breath, starting to wonder if they had all imagined the noise. Cloud had nearly recovered from his initial terror when a second scrape caused him to hold his sword at the ready.

The edge of the lid moved, grinding loudly as it was guided to the side by some invisible force. With a crash that imitated the pounding of their hearts, the coffin lid slipped off the side of the coffin itself and landed on the cold floor. A body shot upright from the depths of the coffin, causing all present to shriek or swear loudly.

Cloud, flattened against the wall in unmasked fright, realized that the body was very much alive and very much human. The stranger looked at them carefully, taking in each person's appearance in turn. When his eyes met Cloud's, the mercenary realized they were an unnatural blood-red and he could barely repress a shiver. The man in the coffin made no threatening movements, but his sudden appearance had them all startled and reaching for their weapons. He was strange looking, Cloud noted, nearly as strange looking as the rest of them. His lower half was hidden in shadow but his frame was lanky and thin and his pale face was gaunt. A crimson bandana pulled wavy lengths of raven hair out of his eyes in a half-hearted way. After several long moments of appraisal, the man spoke in a deep, gravelly voice that sounded thick with sleep. "You must leave," he said, quiet but commanding, "I must return to my nightmares."

AVALANCHE exchanged looks before Cloud, relatively sure that the man wasn't a threat, looked at him a little quizzically. "Nightmares? Wait, you were asleep? In a coffin?"

"In a locked basement?" Yuffie added under her breath, earning her an elbow in the ribs from Barret, who stood next to her.

The man seemed to choose his words carefully, "This sleep was not my choice, but it has offered me the chance to atone for my sins."

"I don't get it," Cloud said, trying not to sound threatening, "You sleep to atone?"

"I have nothing to say to strangers," replied the man, sounding slightly affronted, "Get out of this mansion; it has been the beginning of more nightmares than you know."

The younger man sheathed his sword, and the others seemed to relax in turn. "Tell me about it," Cloud agreed with a cynical scoff.

"What do you know?" the man responded gruffly.

With quick glance back towards his companions, Cloud stepped a little closer to the sitting man. "A man I idolized went insane here, and set fire to the village outside. He took everything. I tried to avenge my losses by challenging him but there's a hole, or something, in my memory and I don't remember what happened. He was the greatest soldier the ShinRa ever had so I couldn't have beaten him."

"The ShinRa's greatest soldier?" the man mumbled, mostly to himself. "Tell me," he said suddenly, turning to face Cloud, "who was that man?"

"You don't know Sephiroth?" Cloud asked, looking skeptical. This man in the coffin looked older than himself, how could he not have heard of Sephiroth? During the war he had risen to near superstar status and had been mentioned in newspapers nearly every day.

The man moaned softly under his breath. "It was Sephiroth? You must tell me what happened!"

The stranger's sudden interest had caught him off guard. "It's a little complicated," Cloud warned, but when the other didn't seem to take it as a deterrent, the mercenary continued. "Five years ago, I was in SOLDIER and I got sent here to Nibelheim with Sephiroth on a mission. He mentioned that he never knew about his parents in a conversation we had, and that he only knew that his mother's name was Jenova. In the reactor, he realized that the ShinRa was creating monsters out of people in biological experiments and he suddenly wondered if he was the same when he saw Jenova's name on a locked door. Here in the mansion, he found the secret library and must've found what he was looking for. He went insane when he figured out that he was the product of some biological experiment involving Jenova, who's some kind of monster; he lashed out and burned the town, killing everyone. Now, he's come out of hiding and he's trying to find the Promised Land."

The man seemed deeply pained. "He found out about the Jenova Project?"

"You sound like you know quite a bit," Tifa said softly, speaking up for the first time. "Tell us what you know; we're trying to stop him."

"I am sorry," he said, sinking back into the coffin, "I cannot speak."

"Wait a minute," Cloud started, looking cheated, "we think he might be here, in this mansion. We're trying to stop him; to kill him. Who _are_ you?"

With a heavy sigh, the stranger turned again towards Cloud. "My name is Vincent Valentine, I was a member of the ShinRa Administrative Research Department, but they have recently changed their title to the Turks."

"I've never heard them called anything else my whole life," Aeris suddenly said, looking confused.

Barret cocked his head, looking equally baffled, "Administrative Research was abandoned when I was a little kid. Must've been 'bout twenty-five or thirty years ago, when the ShinRa was still a weapon company."

Vincent looked puzzled. "Weapons are not the company's focus?"

"No," replied Barret, looking even more bewildered. "They're all Mako now."

"What year is it?" Vincent asked finally, unable to comprehend his confusion. When Aeris told him, he held a weak hand to his forehead. His already pale face drained of color even more, if it was indeed possible. "It has been thirty years…"

"You've been," Cloud repeated slowly after a thick silence, "forced to sleep in a coffin for thirty years to atone for your sins? How old are you?"

Vincent huffed almost imperceptibly, not missing the incredulous tone in the young man's queries. "My sins are great. I failed my beloved, Lucrecia, and she is dead as a result of my weakness. And now, the fate of her son rests on my soul."

"Wait," Aeris said sharply, "you don't mean that a woman, Lucrecia, is Sephiroth's mother?"

"Certainly," replied Vincent evenly, "She was an assistant to Professor Gast when Jenova was discovered. When the biological experiment was carried out, Lucrecia and her unborn child underwent injections of Jenova cells."

"She was a human experiment?" Cloud asked in horror, realizing what this meant.

"Yes, and that is my sin," he said sadly, "I let the one I cherished, the one I respected most, face the very worst. I could not stop her. As for my age," he added as an afterthought, "I was twenty seven when I was sealed in here, but I do not seem to have aged physically. I suppose I have Hojo to thank for that."

"That report," Aeris realized with a sudden shudder, "the one upstairs was about you. Hojo locked you here, didn't he? And your arm?"

Vincent smiled wryly, angered at old memories but suddenly grateful for such open concern from a total stranger. "Yes, it was Hojo who forced this sleep on me. He left some notes lying around? Well, that's typical." To answer Aeris' surmise he held up his left hand. The shoulder and bicep abruptly ended in a golden gauntlet of some kind, which ended in sharp, bulky digits. The monstrosity gleamed in the dim light of the room, glinting with malice.

She gasped in horror and turned her head away, as if sharing Vincent's pain. "How could he do that to you?"

"That man seems to be more trouble than he is worth," growled Red, looking angry. When Vincent merely stared at him, the eloquent beast continued. "I was also an unwilling subject of the good professor's experiments. I was imprisoned in his laboratories for several long months; Cloud and the others helped me escape when Aeris had been captured and scheduled for equally sickening academic endeavors. He is a foul excuse for a human and I have every intention of repaying his cruelty."

Vincent seemed more interested in them now that Hojo had been mentioned. Although his tone was still gravely even, the pale man seemed to be stewing in a quiet fury. "You plan to exact vengeance?"

"Eventually," replied Red, "the ShinRa is less of a threat to us at the moment so our current objective is Sephiroth."

"Come with us," Cloud offered, "I can't feel right about leaving you here in a coffin."

Vincent seemed to deeply consider the offer, torn between self-punishment and the desperate desire for revenge. "If I accompany you," he asked, "will I have the opportunity to face Hojo?"

"Yeah," he answered with a shrug, "We're gonna have to deal with the ShinRa sooner or later and he's bound to pop up."

"I have decided," Vincent declared solemnly, "I will go with you." He stood up from his position within the wine-colored coffin and stepped gracefully out of it. A blood colored cape draped from his bony shoulders, out from behind a crimson collar that partially hid his thin lipped mouth. He was tall, taller than Cloud, and his stiff, upright posture only seemed to add to that. The golden claw on his left arm flexed experimentally and the human hand on the right checked a small holster on his belt for a tiny handgun. Once satisfied he nodded to the companions and with a soft swish of his cloak, he followed them out into the main passage. Vincent turned to look at the coffin one last time, feeling as though getting revenge on Hojo might make up for his sins a little more than another thirty years asleep. Hadn't passivity been his undoing in the first place?

Once everyone had gathered behind their leader, Cloud nodded towards the library door, reinstating his earlier plan of knocking the door in and attempting to surprise Sephiroth- if it was even possible. Weapons drawn and faces grim, AVALANCHE took the last steadying breaths before Cloud's heavy boot came crashing into the rotten wood door. It swung in on its warped hinges, and AVALANCHE raced in. Cloud strode into the center of the old lab with the rest fanning out behind him. For a tense moment, they thought the room was empty. As they turned their heads towards the shelves of moldy books, a shadow rose from the darkness. In the small hallway that opened into the study, something tall moved very slowly towards them; quiet footfalls seemed like explosions in the deathly silence between the pulse of their hearts.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud seemed to have distracted his paralyzing fear with hatred.

The towering general emerged from the cavern of text to stand before them. The Masamune was sheathed but it did nothing to ease their fear. "Being here brings back memories, doesn't it, Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, almost nonchalantly. His voice was deep, but not harsh or demanding. It was calm and almost tentative, like venom.

"Fuck you!" Cloud spat, gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles hurt.

Sephiroth turned casually towards the bookshelf as though he hadn't heard, absently glancing at the titles with bored jade irises. "Do you plan on attending the Reunion?"

Cloud seemed torn between attacking and standing defense, "What the hell are you talking about, lunatic?"

Sephiroth ignored the others behind the young blonde and focused his intense gaze on his former inferior with the look of a snake staring down its prey. "Jenova has called the Reunion for me; she will once again become the Calamity from the Skies." His face lifted into an almost rapturous expression as his arms rose slightly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cloud demanded, still hesitantly rooted to the spot.

Sephiroth turned slowly towards them with the grace of a ballroom dancer, his silver hair and travel-worn clock swaying elegantly. "Your ignorance makes me question your right to participate," he said smoothly, though his smirk had fallen dangerously. "Regardless, if you wish to learn more, I will head north through the mountains."

There was a moment of the thickest silence before the mad general laughed quietly. Sephiroth rose into the air, his arms outstretched. Cloud's petrification released as he realized what was happening and shot forward to prevent it. Sephiroth made no attempt to reach the deadly Masamune as Cloud raised his own weapon. The heavy blade streaked towards its mark but the madman had vanished and only the faint echo of his taunting laugh remained. The sword had crashed heavily into a bookcase, merely inches behind where Sephiroth had just stood.

The bookshelf was nearly cloven in two. Cloud's blade had cut through ancient tombs and shelving as though it had been made of warm wax. He swore softly as he once again sheathed his blade, bringing a slightly shaking hand up to wipe his flushed brow. The rest of the companions exhaled collectively, lowering their weapons and waiting for Cloud to decide what to do next.

Vincent nearly collapsed to his knees. Nothing could have properly prepared him to witness, first hand, the madness of the son of Lucrecia. His failure to Lucrecia itself was unforgivable but now, through some cruel trick of fate, her son was on a bloody rampage for power. Was this simply another facet of his failure? Did the fate of Sephiroth weigh in on his tattered heart as well?

"Vincent," Red said quietly, "did you understand what Sephiroth meant when he said 'calamity from the sky'?"

The others looked to their new companion, their interest piqued. "I am not certain," he admitted, "Professor Gast once theorized that Jenova was actually an extraterrestrial being, rather than a Cetra. Logically, I suppose that if this was the case, it would have had to been on or in some kind of cosmic body. Perhaps that is what 'calamity' means in this context; although I remind you that I was merely a bodyguard during the latter half of the project, I had no connection to the actual work being done. Hojo, who was also heavily involved, disagreed with the theory vehemently."

"Jenova will be a calamity again?" Aeris asked, her eyebrows furrowed, "What does that even mean?"

Cloud crossed his arms and leaned against the stone wall, "Nothing good, I'm sure."

Red gazed interestedly at some of the volumes on the shelves. "I wish we could find some of the project reports; that would help us clear some of this out."

"It seems," Vincent began tentatively, as though he was afraid his opinion would be unwanted, "that Hojo left incomplete reports here in the library. If we wanted to see the project details, we might have to look elsewhere."

Cloud exhaled slowly, and put a hand on his belted hip, "Honestly, the gory details of Sephiroth's past won't change the present. He's plotting something; that much is obvious. I don't care. I'm going to kill him and that'll be the end of it, and I think the sooner we kill him, the better it'll be for everybody."

There was a murmur of general consent before Cloud suggested that they push forward into the Nibel mountains. They realized they would have to abandon the van, finally, as there was no road that lead through the treacherous peaks. With several hours of daylight remaining they had a good chance of pushing about halfway through the pass and they'd be clear of the range by tomorrow afternoon. The crossing would be tiring, but with Tifa's past experience as a guide he was nonplussed.

As they wandered back into town to pick up some last minute rations, as well as a much-deserved hot meal, Cloud (and most of the others) couldn't help but size up their newest addition. His most fearsome features by far, were the hideous metallic arm and his unnatural scarlet eyes but beyond that, Vincent seemed disappointingly frail. His arms, legs, and torso were all frighteningly skinny and his pale skin made him appear almost sickly. He seemed to regain some color after his meal, though, looking somewhat pleased to indulge in food after thirty years in a coffin. The sharp glare of sunlight off the overcast sky appeared to bother him and Cloud silently wondered if the Turks Vincent had served in was really the same organization that employed such dangerous people as Reno and Rude. For all of Cloud's first impressions, Vincent kept silent during their ascent into the mountains. He didn't complain about the strenuous hike nor did he fall behind even as they began their difficult ascent up a crumbling, narrow trail.


	23. Elegy & Nocturne

Author's Notes: SEE? I'M NOT DEAD!

Apologies for the wait, but you know how it goes. It may take a long time, but I do intend to finish this so check back periodically. Lots of characterization in this chapter and in the next chapter we'll get lots of action and CID! He was my favorite character the first time I played through. Anyway, enough blabbing.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Elegy & Nocturne

"So, you came all the way here to report _failure_? It looks like you're a fool as well as incompetent," Rufus spat, grimacing fiercely.

Reeve pursed his lips together as though biting back a defensive retort. "The move wasn't a total failure, sir. I wasn't able to infiltrate their party with the decoy, but this was the expected outcome. I was, however, able to obtain their general course of action. Plus, they didn't suspect anything during my attempt to join them so we are free to make additional attempts as the opportunities arise."

Rufus was silent for a sullen moment as he flipped through his daily schedule. "Reeve, you are normally an effective subordinate. I want results out of this. _Better _results than 'general course of action'. I want them infiltrated. I want to know their next moves, _I want them caught!_" The young president punctuated his final words with a slap on his desk.

The phone rang loudly just as Reeve was about to reply. Rufus snatched the receiver off the cradle. "What?"

"It's Tseng, Mr. President," the receptionist said crisply. "He says it's urgent."

The phone clicked and Tseng's smooth voice greeted him solemnly. "Mr. President, I believe I've found a new lead."

Rufus' strawberry blonde eyebrows rose slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I believe Sephiroth is after something in the Southern hemisphere. Cloud and the other fugitives will most likely alter their course to follow him as well."

"How sure are you?" Rufus pressed, his excitement growing. "What's Sephiroth after?"

"Sir, I think he's trying to find some kind of ancient temple. My research is suggesting that it may be some kind ruins left by the Cetra. I think, though, that we will have some trouble locating and landing troops in such a remote area."

Rufus slammed the phone back down. "Reeve! Go find that useless bastard Heidegger and ask him if repairs to the long range airship are finally complete!"

"Sir?"

Rufus smirked dangerously, "I think we've found our advantage."

***

The warm glow of Aeris' healing spell faded as she stood up from the man, pleased that she was able to offer him some comfort. The team had wandered up into the heart of the Nibel Mountain Range and had been quite alarmed when they had come across this vagrant- seemingly wounded, huddled in a pebbly ditch, mumbling to himself. Satisfied that the man could offer no help, they agreed to try and heal him and continue on.

The man seemed a little more alert after Aeris' spell and looked up at them from under his tattered black hood. His eyes were bloodshot and hollow looking, but when his eyes locked with Cloud's he seemed to swell excitedly. He rasped incoherently, lifting a shaky hand in towards the bewildered young man. "Can't you hear it?" the man wheezed slowly from the ground where he laid, "the voice of the great Sephiroth?"

Cloud drew back as though he had been burned. The transient on the ground before him suddenly looked focused and utterly coherent when he had been muttering nonsense just moments before. AVALANCHE looked on in surprise and growing apprehension at the dying man in the black cloak. They hadn't expected any new leads on Sephiroth until after trekking through the mountains- it seemed that the former general was making a habit out of giving them sparse clues.

"Where is Sephiroth?" Cloud demanded, squatting in front of the figure in black.

The man made no noise, but slowly and deliberately brought a dirty and trembling hand up to his head where he pointed wordlessly at his temple. Cloud's expression warped into one of confusion and disgust of the highest degree and he stood up, as though the transient was suddenly a host to a most foul and dangerous disease. "Come on," he directed the rest of the group, and he turned crisply on his heel and marched further along the mountain path. AVALANCHE cast furtive and worried looks at each other before following in their leader's anxious wake.

Vincent walked silently behind the rag tag group in front of him trying to remember what life was like. The thought was almost laughable, but after thirty years of lying comatose in a coffin, he felt like he was outside for the first time. The glare from the overcast sky and the chilly wind were alien to him. Every piece of sensory input was like a brand new experience; his brain could scarcely keep up. Life before his imprisonment was as faded as an antique photograph and trying to remembering the details of his youth felt like piecing together someone else's life. He played through old memories, simply to see if they were still there. He vaguely remembered his education in the academy and then leaving home after he'd been recruited for the Turks. Details of his involvement with the Jenova Project were alarmingly faded; he remembered larger events- when Professor Gast abandoned the project and fled, for instance, but smaller details he usually kept meticulously organized were difficult to recall.

Lucrecia's warm face swam in his imagination, her sweet brown eyes full of love and tenderness. He almost sighed, remembering his secret dalliances and the simultaneous pain of knowing their love could never come to fruition. Hojo must've known about their affair- after Lucrecia's death there was nothing stopping the madman from torturing him. Hojo's revenge on him was far more evil than anything the younger Vincent could concoct in his most sadistic daydreams. He had been shot in a non-fatal spot on purpose and Hojo had patiently waited for him to return to consciousness before attacking him with a medical saw. The horror of that night was blurred, but the snippets of sights and sounds made Vincent nearly sick with hate. He remembered the first cut just under his pale elbow, Hojo's mad laughter, screaming, and the deadened _thud_ when the job was finished. Faintly though, Vincent remembered something worse, something that felt too insane and macabre to be real: the sinister whisper of something at the back of his mind. He could feel it even now, as though it was pacing like a hungry animal in the dark edges of his subconscious. Hojo had done it to him, he knew without a doubt, but precisely _what_ was a little more difficult to grasp. He dared not mention it to his new-found companions; unsure of what lay ahead he was reluctant to spill the torrid details of his past with them unbidden.

Most of them seemed indifferent to his presence, which he was perfectly fine with, having lost his taste for being sociable. One of the young women hung back at the rear of the group with him, though, in an obvious attempt to make him feel a little more welcome. She told him her name, Aeris, and she explained the events of their journey in Sephiroth's wake. Vincent listened but declined conversation, preferring his own swell of thoughts. She did not give up, however, and continued chatting to him as though he was a very dear friend, totally nonplussed by his terseness. She seemed determined to orient him to their cause and spent a great deal of time detailing their individual pasts and existing group relations. He was vaguely thankful, and somewhat impressed by her determination to make him feel welcome. He was too scarred and tortured to be properly grateful, but he hoped that, someday, he would have the ability to sincerely thank Cloud and his companions for his second chance at life.

At the head of the group, Tifa pointed further along the trail as she turned back to face the rest of them, "The reactor's just up here, and then past that is the trail around the main peaks and down into the forest. We'll have no problem getting there by mid-morning tomorrow."

"This isn't what I had in mind when I pictured a rustic camping trip," Yuffie muttered darkly, wishing she had bought that cute jacket she'd seen in one of the stores in Nibelheim's marketplace. The temperature was falling nearly as fast as the sun was and her knit tank top didn't offer much in the warmth department.

"You'd be an idiot to try and camp this far away from the village. There are lots of nasty things living in the caves and Nibel wolves would make quick work of one or two people," Tifa retorted, pursing her lips together.

The path grew narrow and pebbly as they made their way between two solid walls of rock. Far below them in a wide space of flat ground, the old Nibel reactor stood like some great rusty spider; its corroded metal supports stretched out like spindly legs. Cloud and Tifa both stared at the reactor, emotions hidden behind blank expressions. The others looked on as well, taking in the place that had been the backdrop of Sephiroth's revelation. Hugging herself and shivering slightly, Tifa wordlessly led them away from the nearly derelict reactor and further into the heart of the mountains. Cloud, at his place at the head of the team, glanced behind him in his usual, obsessive head count, checking to see that no one had been left behind.

They pressed on up the increasingly difficult climb, having to sidle along cliff faces and crawl over rough boulder formations. The journey was one of the roughest treks they'd endured yet, and the going only got harder as Tifa led them into the network of caves that snaked within the mountain. Abundant in liquid Mako, the walls gave off a faint Mako stench and the water dripping silently down the rock walls made them look slimy in the dimming light. Some of the paths were so narrow that they had to squeeze through sideways or else crouch and crawl. Tifa's guidance was expert, even after five long years away from her homeland and it was easy to see that without her help they would've been hopelessly lost in the intertwining depths.

After several particularly narrow passages, the way suddenly opened into a huge open cavern gloriously studded with crystallized Mako. The dim light reflected in the crystals made the dank cave suddenly seem like something out of a dream; it danced along the shadows from their torch and reflected in their faces. Aeris reached forward to gently touch a shimmering spear of sapphire colored crystal and couldn't stop from smiling in awe. "This is _amazing_," she whispered wondrously, as though her soft voice might disturb the ethereal beauty of the chamber.

Tifa nodded, "I'm surprised this is still here after all the Mako extraction the ShinRa has done in the mountains. A natural Mako fountain with Materia crystals this big would be worth more money than someone could spend in a lifetime."

"Materia?" Yuffie mouthed incredulously, "These crystals are Materia?"

"Yes," Cloud affirmed thoughtfully, "They form because of all the Mako flowing in the mountain."

"Can't we break a chunk off?" she asked greedily, her dark eyes hungrily taking in the crystals.

"I don't think that would be wise," Red said softly, "completely organic Materia may react differently than synthetic Materia. There's no real way to know if it will be controllable."

"That kinda sucks," Barret said flatly.

"Listen!"

Barret turned; surprised to see that it was Vincent who had rudely cut him off. He swelled with indignance at being told off by the most rookie member of their team and he opened his mouth to retort with a few choice words of his own. Vincent held up his metallic claw for silence and cupped his pale hand to his ear. His eyes widened suddenly, "There it is again."

"What?" Cloud whispered, slowly reaching for his sword.

"I believe there is something in here with us." Vincent said solemnly.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Cloud directed Tifa, who nodded wholeheartedly. At a trot, they followed her towards the other end of the chamber where a small opening was visible in the shadow of a tall ledge. They had not reached the threshold before something enormous came crashing down in front of them, though, and for a frightening second it seemed as though they had a cave-in on their hands. As the dust settled, it became apparent that the situation was nearly as bad. A huge, insect-like monstrosity was towering over them. It shrieked in a rage and charged forward on its six trunk-like legs.

With a toss of its hideous horned head, it sent most of AVALANCHE flying. Cloud fell to the cold ground hard and felt elbow painfully scrape its rough surface. He leapt to his feet and tried to take inventory of the team. Red had dodged the blow and was busy drawing the creature away from his recovering teammates. Tifa, Yuffie, and Barret had just reached their feet and were racing to join in. After locating both Vincent and Aeris, doggedly pulling themselves to their feet, Cloud shot forward to join the fight.

Tifa quickly realized that her own skills were not a great benefit in this particular battle. The insect had a thick exoskeleton that made her bare-fisted hits worthless and opened her up to close range attacks. Cloud was having almost as much trouble; his heavy sword swipes barely making scratches or else awkwardly glancing off the beast's smooth armor. Yuffie and Red, both being highly dexterous, were at least able to draw the monster's attention and safely dodge any attacks which gave Aeris the window of opportunity needed to pummel it with spells. In all, though, spells seemed to be the only thing effective enough to stun the gruesome thing, and even that wasn't much.

The monster roared in frustration and began bucking and stamping about, hoping to gore anyone it could reach. Cloud and Yuffie both dove haphazardly out of harm's way as blast of lightning erupted from the beast's mouth. Red, recovering from a mild blow to his flank, shot a ball of flames at the horror's head and was rewarded, at the very least, with a shriek of agony. Its tiny eyes rolled wildly and it began firing lightening bolts indiscriminately. A wall of light, courtesy of Aeris, protected the fighters from the most direct shots, but they were still effectively divided.

"Get down!" Barret bellowed from the rear of the chamber.

"Barret, no!" Yuffie screamed, "It'll just bounce-" her warning was cut off as a blast of gunfire, loud as thunder, rent the small chamber as Barret opened fire on the monster. Everyone covered their heads and flung themselves at the hard ground as the wave of bullets ricocheted off of the hard exoskeleton and into the cave walls and floor. After a terrifying few seconds the resounding _ting_'s fell silent and Yuffie dared to get up. As she stood, readying her oversized shruiken, she turned around to rejoin the battle and found herself mere feet from the beast's foul pointed face. Instinctively she threw up her arms to protect herself as the monster let fly a bolt of lightening knowing, also instinctively, that she was about to be in a great deal of pain.

A vice-like grip encased her upper arm and yanked her violently sideways and almost simultaneously, something heavy slammed into her. She lost her balance and fell to the ground, rocking her head into the stony ground. The sounds of battle resumed around her, giving her the few vital seconds she needed to regain her senses. Vincent was sprawled on top of her; he had taken the blow for her, she realized, seeing that the edge of his scarlet cape slightly singed. She sat up and, as gently as she could manage with her adrenaline pumped hands, she slid him to the ground where he lay mostly still. He shuddered violently and moaned, causing Yuffie to think he might be gravely injured. As she turned him over, trying to locate any serious wounds, her concern melted into terror.

Vincent's eyes were wide open but they were nearly glowing with a primal, animalistic rage like Yuffie had never seen in all her life. His mouth was taut in huge and severe snarl, and to her horror, his bared teeth revealed huge, razor-sharp canines, rivaling even Red's. His shuddering became more violent and he grunted in pain, lifting a wildly shaking hand off the ground as though he meant to stand up.

A terrible, drawn-out scream of pure panic drew everyone's attention to the rear of the chamber. Yuffie was flat against the wall, eyes wide and shining with tears at where Vincent had once lay. In his place, however, was a hideous demon that stood slowly from an all-fours position to loom ominously above them. The demon lashed its thick, scaly tail and unfurled its leathery wings with a triumphant roar. Then, with nearly unseen speed, it launched itself at the insect monster.

Both monsters shrieked angrily as they clashed; bursts of flame and lightening illuminating the chamber. AVALANCHE retreated quickly, wanting nothing more than to put a great deal of distance between themselves and the combined peril. The fighters fell back to where Aeris and Barret had backed into the wall; having been cut off from both exits they could do little more than watch.

Cloud fell back confused and terrified as the new threat made quick work of the old one. The demon was far too fast and far too powerful; it had torn the other to veritable shreds in a matter of seconds with claws as long as daggers. The young, ex-SOLDIER gathered all of his courage and stood, with his sword at the ready, as the lanky demon, now bored of the corpse, turned to size up his next prey. Cloud stepped in front of his shocked and panic-stricken teammates knowing with all of his heart that there could be no happy ending here. Aeris gave a strangled sob behind him and the telltale _click_ of Barret loading his gun followed. Strange as it was, however, the demon seemed to hesitate as it laid its glowing crimson eyes on the swordsman. It stumbled slightly where it stood, and then fell to its knees as though it had just endured a terrible beating. And then, it burst into flames.

Everyone screamed and held their arms up to shield their faces, but only thick silence followed. When at last they dared to look again, the demon was gone. Vincent was suddenly before them again, kneeling in place of the demon. He gave them a silent, exhausted look and fell sideways onto the cold ground. Transfixed with fear and confusion, they sat silently for long moments unable to grasp what had just transpired.

"Is," Aeris started, her voice quavering, "is he okay?"

Cloud lowered his sword slightly and stepped forward towards Vincent's body. As far as he could tell, the man was totally prone; he couldn't tell if Vincent was even breathing. Tifa and Barret were both by his side in a second, their wonder having won out over their fear. Cloud gestured wordlessly for Barret to go to Yuffie, who was still looking tearful and frightened as he reached down and gripped Vincent's frail shoulder.

His gloved hands slowly guided Vincent to his back and Tifa bent cautiously over him. "He's breathing," she nearly whispered. As if on cue, Vincent suddenly drew in a long, rattling breath and he grimaced in pain. His eyelids fluttered and he looked dazedly up at the pair with bloodshot eyes. Cloud and Tifa both straightened a little, wary and a little mistrustful of their newest companion. Vincent merely propped himself up on his elbows, but then frowned a little more severely and winced, biting back the urge to vomit.

No one spoke for a long moment until Cloud, letting the tip of his sword rest on the ground, frowned darkly. "What the hell was that?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

Vincent peered up at Cloud and pursed his thin, white lips. "I… am not sure."

"You're not sure?" asked Cloud, incredulously. He seemed at a near loss of words.

"No," Vincent replied with a shiver. "Hojo must have done it to me. I had no idea…"

Yuffie looked almost as pale as Vincent. She followed Barret over to where they stood and couldn't quite bring herself to meet Vincent's eyes. "You took a hit for me and then you sort of went rigid… and then… you changed."

"Turned into a fucking demon." Barret finished for her, looking at Vincent with obvious mistrust. He pointed bluntly to the mutilated remains of the monster. Vincent's face blanched and for a moment, he looked as though he was going to be sick again. He held up a shaking hand to his bony, sweaty face and nearly moaned aloud.

Red and Aeris joined the team where they stood. The feline, sinking to his haunches, appeared deep in thought. "Aeris, do you remember the lab report back in the mansion?"

She turned to him with a thoughtful expression, "Yes, it did say something about some sort of demon."

"I was afraid so." Red agreed with a slight nod.

Cloud, satisfied that Vincent was not an immediate threat, sheathed his sword and looked pensively at Red. "It sounds like you have a theory."

"It seems that Hojo's revenge included ways to make certain that I would continue to suffer, even if I escaped the basement," Vincent said weakly, standing up shakily. "That thing is a part of me."

"My thoughts exactly," Red sighed. "Unfortunately, Hojo's report did not offer us any insight into any concrete facts concerning this…err… predicament."

Barret pulled Cloud away from the main group, looking agitated. "Yo, what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"We can't have him around if he's gonna be going apeshit like that all'a time." Barret muttered heatedly, "He's a damn big liability."

Tifa, overhearing their words, turned around as well. "You can't just brush him off, look what Hojo did to him!" she argued angrily. "Besides we need all the help we can get."

"Your eyes work?" Barret asked, "You did see what just happened, right? What are we gonna do with some pale-ass nutbag who turns into a fucking demon after getting hit? We let him stay and he's gonna attack us eventually." He held up his good hand to silence Tifa's angry retort. "I ain't got nothing against him, but keepin' a full-blown demon in our ranks is crazy."

"Please," Vincent started, overhearing their argument, "I have to face Sephiroth and Hojo. Leaving things to others was my sin before. I do not want to make the same mistake twice."

"We have the same goals," Aeris said to Barret, hoping to appeal to him, "and we need his strength. Maybe with time, he can learn to control himself as a demon."

"He kept from attacking Cloud," Yuffie admitted in a small voice.

Barret felt annoyed and embarrassed at having been overheard and put on the spot. In the end, though, when Cloud voiced that he also felt Vincent should stay with the team, he consented. They needed to rest, though, Yuffie still appeared shaken and Vincent himself looked as though he had just gotten over a violent bought of the flu. Tifa led them through the caves, all of them wanting to be rid of the bloody monster corpse and the dark tunnels. Everyone agreed with her suggestion of making camp for the night just outside of the cave exit and leaving the mountains for the forest and the village beyond tomorrow afternoon.

Vincent was so exhausted from his transformation that as soon as his tent had been set up, he crawled inside and went to sleep, hardly bothering to remove his boots. The voices of AVALANCHE outside his tent provided a dull, droning backdrop in addition to the various noises of the mountains. The remaining members of the party sat around the fire, eating their rations and talking casually about their plans and Vincent's addition to the team.

Cloud was surprised that Barret had respected his decision to allow Vincent to stay with the group. With Barret's usually brash stubbornness, he expected the older man to argue and complain but he hadn't said a word against the choice since they had left the caves. Reluctant to admit it, Cloud suspected that Barret may actually respect him as the leader now. He was thankful, though, and silently resolved to live up to Barret's, and the other's, expectations.

It was so strange, he thought, how much they had changed over the last few weeks. He himself had abandoned the cocky, arrogant front he had adopted during his first few missions as a mercenary for AVALANCHE. He felt a heavy responsibility now, for the group's safety and success, even if he sometimes felt like he was on a mission from which there would be no return. He felt so much older, so much more mature and even a little stronger. Cloud smiled slightly as he allowed himself a rare feeling of pride. He had always been weak, even as a child he had been small and skinny; and the isolation he had suffered at the hands of other children had only added to his mental weakness. Now, however, he might not be strong, but at least he belonged and that certainly made him _feel_ stronger. Maybe, in a convoluted kind of way, everyone in AVALANCHE was seeking some kind of acceptance. Maybe, together, they could give themselves the fortitude it would take to endure their mission. They all had their reasons, they all had to fight. Perhaps, Cloud mused, there was a great deal more to the saying _there's strength in numbers_.

He stayed up, his glowing blue eyes focused on the campfire, long after the others drifted, one by one, into their tents for rest. Soon only Aeris remained, watching him intently but seemingly lost in her own thoughts at the same time. She turned her gaze to him, and as he looked up, their eyes met. They both smiled nervously at the awkward moment, but Aeris moved closer to sit next to him before the dying fire. "I think letting Vincent stay was a good choice, Cloud," She said softly, not wanting to disturb her sleeping teammates.

"Well, strength is something we're going to need desperately," Cloud agreed, avoiding her twinkling emerald eyes. "I'm glad that Barret didn't get too butt-hurt."

She grinned a little, "He's definitely grown up a little."

Cloud met her eyes again, for some reason, his heart started racing. He didn't know why she was able to coax it out of him without even trying, but before he could stop himself, he began voicing his worries to her. "I wonder if it was a good choice, keeping Vincent with us. Am I just putting everyone in danger for no reason?"

"Cloud," she began, looking up into the star-filled sky, "I understand how you feel, but at the same time, could you really have left that poor man alone and exhausted in the caves?"

"No," he admitted, "I couldn't leave him in the basement, either."

"Then your only choice would be to take him with us," she concluded, "We all saw him hesitate when we were sure he was going to attack. I think that as much as the demon is part of Vincent, Vincent is a part of the demon, too."

"Yeah, I just hope the others feel the same way."

"Everyone knows that you're doing everything possible for the team."

He smiled faintly. "Thanks, Aeris. I feel a lot better."

She stood up slowly, putting a slim hand on his shoulder, "We should get some rest, the battle in the caves was quite the ordeal." He watched her move into her tent, confused at his pounding heart and the slight blush creeping up his face.


	24. Dream Shards

Chapter Twenty-Four

Dream Shards

They certainly didn't call it Rocket Town for nothing, Cloud mused idly as they made their way into the heart of the city. A huge, rust-pocked rocket sat in its near-derelict launch platform that dominated the skyline. They had first spotted the strange outline of the city several hours earlier as they had put some distance between themselves and the Nibel Mountains. After some confusion, they were able to figure out where exactly they were. While Cloud had never been this far north personally, he had heard of the city before and knew that they would be able to rest, regroup, and hopefully find more clues to Sephiroth's objectives.

Their first goal was to find a suitable hotel in which to spend the rest of the day catching up on much needed rest. Strangely enough, however, was the fact that every inn they passed had been booked solid. It wasn't until they reached the industrial district that they were able to find a hotel that could provide them with some accommodations. Unfortunately, they were only able to procure one room for the seven of them. In the hotel's bare-bones restaurant, they treated themselves to the rare hot meal, a real luxury in light of all the packed rations they'd been eating.

As they sat in plastic booths, devouring their meals, all snippets of conversation started to slip towards "business" and what they planned to do from here. Cloud admitted that he hadn't formed much of a plan and since Sephiroth's only clue had been north they were unsure of what to do next. Realizing that there weren't any more major settlements further north than Rocket Town, at least on this continent, they were at a loss for ideas.

"What's the deal with all the hotels, though?" Yuffie asked through a mouthful of cheeseburger, her cocoa eyes wandering over the dingy skyline.

Aeris nodded slightly, looking out the finger-print marred window. "It does seem strange. I wonder what's going on."

"You guys from out of town?" A bus boy stood behind their table, hefting a gray plastic bin full of dirty dishes and looking at them with a slight smile on his young face. He seemed amiable, and his question was more good-humored than rude and demanding.

"Yeah," Tifa affirmed, slightly suspicious as to why the younger man had approached them.

He shifted the weight of the bin to one arm and planted the other at his hip. "President ShinRa's visiting tomorrow. He's got a press conference scheduled in the afternoon so all the ShinRa execs and media reps are clogging up our hotels."

"Rufus is coming here?" Barret demanded before he could stop himself.

The bus-boy raised an eyebrow as the others threw Barret _please-shut-up-now _looks as inconspicuously as possible. "It's been all over the news, even the national headlines," the young man added. "Rumor has it that the president's meeting with the Captain tomorrow; we all kinda think that he's gonna restart the old space program and announce it to the press."

"The space program?" Cloud asked, "I wonder why the ShinRa would suddenly be interested in restarting it."

The bus boy nodded, his light eyebrows furrowing. "Other than just speculation, no one can really answer that. I want to ask the Captain, but I'm kind of embarrassed to go bug him."

"Who's the Captain?" Aeris questioned mildly.

The youth laughed lightly, "Oh, he's awesome. He was the original pilot for the space program ten years ago. He's sort of taken over the town as Mayor and he lives just off of Main Street in the house up on the hill."

Just then, a grease-spattered cook burst out of the galley doors and veritably ignited seeing that his lone bus boy was chatting away with customers. "Tony!" he bellowed, looking irate, "Less yakking, more cleaning!"

"I'm on it, I'm on it!" Tony cried, cringing and scurrying back to work.

With the bus boy out of ear-shot, Cloud gave the others a meaningful look. "Alright, this is worth checking into even if it's not Sephiroth. After this we'll go talk to this 'Captain' and see if we can't get any info out of him and in the morning-"

Barret cut him off looking excitable, "We can take out Rufus!"

Cloud rolled his eyes, glowing even in the broad daylight of the diner, "I don't think a full-blown assassination is a good idea. They'll know we did it and even if we manage to take him out neatly they'd secure the city in an instant comb it until they found every single one of us. I'm sure Rufus won't be strolling into town without a legion of troops and some SOLDIERS."

Barret looked disappointed as his broad shoulders sagged, "Man, some things might be worth it."

"Not while Sephiroth's still running amok. It'd be too perfect for him if the only two obstacles in his way wiped each other out," Tifa said pointedly.

"Agreed," Aeris said seriously, returning her iced tea to the table. "We can gather information tonight, and then try to spy on Rufus in the morning."

"Exactly," Cloud affirmed with a small smile. "All right, let's get out of here."

They paid their formidable tab and made their way back out into the street. The main thoroughfare made its way right through the center of the small city and even from the square; the Captain's house was visible as the only structure on the hill besides the beginnings of the rocket command center which sat on the other side. The rocket itself loomed up from behind the small hill, tipped at an angle in its launch pad and covered with rust. As they made their way up to the house, they made an effort to not look quite as rag-tag and threatening as they no doubt did and were thankful that they had, at least, left most of their weapons back in their room. People on the street openly gawked at Red and Vincent, both of their appearances being rather alarming. They both seemed to notice their unwanted attention but were unable to do much, save that Vincent had taken to wrapping his horrible claw with the edge of his cloak as he walked stiffly beside Tifa.

The front yard of the house was neat, grass clippings still scattered over the lawn from when someone had mowed it recently. They opened the front gate and walked up to the door, still hoping against hope that they didn't appear too threatening or dangerous. They waited tensely a moment after Cloud had knocked on the door, until a woman about Barret's age, with wire-framed spectacles, answered. "Can I help you?" she asked, a little meekly, as she looked them over, stopping on Barret's gun-arm, Red's bestial face, and Vincent's alarmingly red eyes.

"We'd like to talk to the Captain," Cloud offered, consciously trying to sound pleasant and friendly.

She opened the door wider to allow them entrance, "Oh yes, of course. Please come in. I'm the Captain's assistant, Shera." She led them inside to a warmly lit and immaculately clean dining room where she had them sit around a worn dining table. "I'll go get him, make yourselves at home." They watched as she smiled weakly, small care-lines creasing the areas around her thin lips.

They could hear her quiet footsteps down the hall and then the noise of a door opening. Although Avalanche tried not to notice, Shera's timid voice could still be heard as she called for someone in the back yard. The was a loud _clang_ and a gruff male voice swearing profusely followed by Shera's frantic apology and loud, pounding footfalls down the hallway. Shera came scurrying back into the kitchen followed by a grubby, annoyed looking man smoking a cigarette.

"I'm the Captain," he barked, glaring at Avalanche. "What the hell do you want?"

They could only stare at him mutely for a shocked moment, awed at his aggressive nature with seven complete strangers. Cloud straightened up, realizing that this awkward silence wasn't winning them any favors with this angry man. "Uh… Hello. We just wanted to ask you some questions about the old space program, if you don't mind."

"Shera!" he bellowed suddenly, grinding his teeth on the cigarette butt, "we have guests, get some goddamned tea going." Shera jumped and began fussing about collecting teacups and starting the kettle, tucking some stray strands of auburn hair behind her pierced ears.

Cloud looked at his teammates for support, unsure of what to do in such an uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, most of them were too busy raising their eyebrows in unmasked surprise to offer much assistance. "Uh, really, don't mind us," he struggled, starting to stand.

"Shut the hell up!" Cid yelled, glaring at him with vivid blue eyes, flopping down in the remaining chair next to Vincent, who looked less than pleased, and pointed a threatening finger at Cloud. "You sit your ass down and drink your goddamned tea!"

Shera brought over the tea kettle and cups, and began to serve the steaming liquid. Her hand was shaking so violently that everyone held their breath as she approached each in turn, rattling the hot kettle over their laps as she served tea. They drank on in relative silence, intimidated by such an overtly, unjustifiably aggressive human being, enough so that no one dared to ask for sugar or lemon. When they were finished, Shera, who seemed to be the man's housekeeper, collected the teacups in obvious relief as the man straightened up and eyed his guests with unmistakable mistrust. "Now," he began gruffly, adjusting the pilot's goggles resting on his grease-smudged forehead, "What about the space program?"

Cloud only stared at him blankly for a moment before Tifa spoke up, covering for his momentary lapse. "Actually, we're very interested in Rocket Town's history; we came from Nibelheim to see the rocket. Some people here told us you were the Captain and that you would be the best person to try to talk to."

"Why didn't you say so?!" The man shouted jovially, his rugged, unshaven face splitting into a wide grin. "Let me take you out back, I'll show you my pet project."

The stood up uncertainly and followed him out to the back yard where a small, passenger plane sat shining in the late afternoon sun. Reading Avalanche's expressions with satisfaction, the captain drew a deep puff from his cigarette. "She's gorgeous, ain't she?" he sighed, nearly tripping over a tool box as he ran a gloved hand over the logo on the wing. Cloud nodded appreciatively, imagining how much easier their life would be with access to a vehicle like this.

"So, Captain…" Aeris began from beside the plane's wing.

He cut her off with a wave of his greasy hand. "The name's Cid Highwind. Everyone in town calls me 'Captain' cause the whole city was involved in the original space program with me as its head."

"You were the head of the program?"

"Well," he ran a hand through his short dirty-blond hair, oblivious to the oil stains on the palms of his gloves. "During the war, the ShinRa invented a rocket engine and in order to flaunt their growing power and money, they decided to launch a space-exploration program. This whole town was set up as a base camp for all the employees involved in the program. I was the best goddamned pilot the ShinRa had during the war; probably in the whole friggin' world, so I was chosen to be the rocket's pilot." He pointed past the thin line of trees beyond his fence to the rusted old rocket. "That's was the twenty-sixth prototype they made, so you can see what kinda budget they pumped into this and how seriously everyone took it. Everybody was thrilled and when launch day finally came the whole base was partying." A dark look crossed his face and pointedly tried his best not to look back towards the house, "Everything was fine until that stupid bitch, Shera, went and fucked everything up. The launched got cancelled and not a month later, the ShinRa's efforts in Mako finally paid off and the money started pouring in. They've never looked back at the space program; everyone's dreams and aspirations were just a financial figure to them.

"Look at that thing," he sighed, watching the tipped rocket with a look of forlorn longing in his pale blue eyes. "I was supposed to be the first man in space with that. My last chance at space is to talk to the president tomorrow. He's still young, he's still got dreams."

No one dared challenge his assessment of Rufus and they stood in silence for long moments. Cid drew their attention back to the plane as he happily described some of its features and pointed to the lettering of the plane's name: _Tiny Bronco_, and revealed that he had done all of the painting himself. Cloud, sensing that there was no more information to be gained from conversing with the older pilot, thanked him for his help and made to leave with the rest of Avalanche in tow. Cid waved them goodbye with the crescent wrench he was holding and went back to work on the plane. Once inside Shera showed them to the door and they shared a brief goodbye before they retreated back into the streets of Rocket Town.

***

"_Captain, preparations for launch are complete!"_

"_We'll be able to initiate the launch sequence as soon as we evacuate the vicinity and finish fueling the tanks."_

_Cid grinned roguishly and saluted the crew as they stood at attention in the main cockpit. "Good work, boys. Now, get the hell out of here so I can take this thing up!"_

_The men saluted him, nearly glowing with pride and left down the ladder and out to the launch pad. In the following silent moments, Cid sat down in the pilot's chair, taking deep breaths to try and ease his nervous excitement. His face was still boyish and clean-shaven, and the wide grin he wore made him appear even younger still. Buckling up, he ran last minute checks on the center console in front of him. A voice from the communications console suddenly blared to life. "Captain Highwind, prepare for launch."_

"_Roger that, all systems normal, ready for launch."_

"_Engines on, beginning the countdown at three minutes."_

_A sigh of total satisfaction and simultaneous nervous anticipation hadn't even left his lips when red light on the console started flashing and his monitors suddenly brought up the emergency code programs. "Shit! What the hell!?"_

"_Captain Highwind," the voice in the console sounded panicked, now, "We have a situation! There's a mechanic still inside the engine maintenance room!"_

_Cid pounded the console in front of him in a sudden rage. "You're fucking kidding! Who is the little fuck!?"_

"_I-I don't know, sir," the voice answered, "Here, I'll put you through to the ship's intercom system."_

_Cid tapped his headset as white noise suddenly erupted in his earphones, as everything quieted, he pulled the microphone close to his mouth. "Hey, goddammit!" he shouted, hearing his own voice echo throughout the ship's interior, "Who the fuck is still down there?"_

_A small, feminine voice crackled through the static. "Captain, its Shera."_

"_What the fuck are you still doing here!" he bellowed, gripping the sides of his chair in the sudden panic. "We're trying to lift off!"_

"_Oxygen tank eight failed its safety inspection this morning; I have to fix it."_

_He nearly roared in anger and frustration, pounding the console a second time, "You stupid bitch! That engine room's gonna get so fucking hot that there ain't gonna be shit down there after blast off! You hear me!? You're gonna die!"_

"_If I can just finish this, the launch will be a success, it won't take me long."_

"_You're going to die!" he screamed, not understanding why she couldn't understand something to painfully simple. _

_The launch crew commander crackled over the ship's radio. "T minus sixty seconds and counting. Engine temperature rising, all systems clear."_

_His stomach dropped, "Hey, wait! Shera's still down there!"_

"_There's nothing you can do! We've got to launch; it's already costing the company billions!"_

_Shera's voice cut into his headphones again, "Captain, don't worry about me."_

"_You want to make me a murderer!?" he yelled hysterically. "Get the fuck out of there!" The red abort button was flashing in front of him; and he knew there was no way to go on. She was single-handedly about to cost the ShinRa several billion gil and the six-month wait between launch attempts was going to be maddening. _

"_T minus thirty seconds and counting. Initializing thrusters."_

_Screaming curses, he flipped open the casing and slammed his clenched fist onto the button, cutting the engines and releasing pressure from the fuel tanks. All the monitors around him flashed red for a moment before the rocket fell deathly silent._

His eyes snapped open; conscious enough now the end the dream. He rolled over to stare at the ceiling, ignoring the small clock on his bedside table and groaning softly at his involuntary recollection. In some ways it was one of his best moments, heroically saving one of his mechanics and doing the right thing. But then, a month or so later, Palmer had showed up with an official notice of dissolution for the entire program. The base had been in shock; people sent letters to the president, held protests, and competed for media attention. None of it had been enough, though, and the cancellation of the program had sealed Shera's fate; she would be indebted to him for the rest of her life. Cid had never asked her to live with him, but she insisted on making it up to him. Still unsure of the reasoning, he had let her even though he felt that the less he saw of her the happier he'd be. At least there was the possibility that Rufus would have some good news for him tomorrow.

***

_The Planet was guiding her, as she ran through the dense forest, trying to find what it was so desperately trying to show. The trees were thick, and the underbrush was a tangle of vines and fallen tree trunks, making the way forward very difficult. She could hear the voices of the Planet calling her further south through the jungle, assuring her that she was almost at her destination. Slowing to clamber over a particularly huge trunk that had partially rotted, she could make out the outline of some great structure through the thinning trees. With a final burst of speed she broke into a huge clearing. _

_Surrounded on two sides by a sparkling canal was a huge, golden temple. It was breathtaking in its ancient, primitive beauty and as she moved closer to the bridge that would take her to its entrance, she tried taking in all of the intricate carvings all over the smooth surface. Before she could make it across, however, the Planet cried for her to halt and watch. The temple glowed suddenly in a beam of brilliant sunshine, making the light stone shine golden against the emerald of the trees Enchanted by the stone structure's beauty, she stood watching as the ancient palace shimmered like a jewel. When the heavy double doors of the entrance began to swing open, she was sure that nothing but wondrous things could be waiting for her within. Her rapt joy suddenly melted when the doors opened fully; she could make out nothing inside save for a nearly tangible wave of darkness seemingly struggling to reach the outside world. The black pit of the doorway stood starkly against the shining gold and the thick shadows appeared to be moving, like a pitch black smoke._

_A tall man suddenly materialized in the entryway, his black-clad back turned to her. It was Sephiroth, she realized, as he slowly stalked inside. The Planet's voices picked up again, warning her that something awful was about to happen. Sephiroth disappeared into the churning dark; in his wake an enormous tremor rocked the ground beneath her. The darkness in the entryway suddenly burst forth like a beam of shadow, engulfing everything. Like an endless jet of water, the shadows spread quickly to envelop the ground and choke out the sun. She was drowning in them, swept away like a leaf in the violent current of sinister blackness. _

Aeris nearly screamed as she jolted awake, trembling and shivering. The dream had been too real; too real to be ignored. Was it her powers as a Cetra? Was she really hearing the Planet, or had that been a product of her tired subconscious? Her pounding heart threatened to jump out of her throat and she held a hand to her face to try and calm herself. Glancing about she was relieved to find that her teammates were all still asleep, sprawled awkwardly wherever they could find space in the tiny room. Cloud slept soundly draped across the small sofa in the corner, his arm hanging limply over the edge and his bare feet poking out from under a blanket. Tifa and Yuffie had claimed one of the beds and were sleeping as far apart from each other as possible, while Red still snored peacefully at the bottom of her own. Barret had hunkered down in the far corner, sleeping flat on his back snoring loudly and Vincent was lying with his back facing her against the wall near the door, wrapped in his cloak and resting silently.

She knew she wouldn't be able to keep this dream from them… it had been too prophetic. She balked at the idea of crying about her dreams to the others, but knew somehow that it was important. Studying Cloud's peaceful face she decided that she'd at least tell him. As their leader, he should know what she thought; he surely wouldn't brush her off. Knowing this managed to relax her slightly, and she quietly laid back down to finish her night's rest.

***

The excitement started from the moment they awoke the next morning. Turning on the morning news they found that Rufus was already in town. Some of the major roads had been closed and all the roads surrounding the university had shut down, as he made a pit stop there to make a speech. Not wanting to waste any time, they all packed up their equipment and left the hotel. Cloud led them back up towards Cid's house. "We're going to stake out in a perimeter so we can hear what's going on. Don't start any fights if you can help it and if something happens and we get separated, we'll meet up at the eastern gate of the town," Cloud said in hushed tones as he moved quickly down the sidewalks, the rest of them quiet as he assigned positions to them. "Barret, you and Yuffie will cover Cid's backyard. Tifa, Red, and Vincent will cover the side yard; try to stay near a window so you can hear them talking. Aeris, you and I will try to cover the front from the other side of the fence.

Making their way through deserted alleyways, they finally emerged on the small street that led up to where Cid's house sat, at the peak of a gradual hill. Cloud cautiously scanned the area, looking for any signs of the ShinRa. Rufus was bound to bring at least Tseng with him; Cloud knew, and it was actually part of his reason for keeping Aeris close to him. He knew she tried not to be, but she was something of a liability when it came to fighting. If the ShinRa got a hold of her again, they could exploit her relationship with Avalanche and use her as a hostage. The Turks would be a real problem if the situation wasn't handled correctly. Cloud shook his head; no use getting pessimistic yet. Silently he motioned for them to move out into the open. Yuffie and Barret broke away and made for the Captain's backyard, where the Tiny Bronco still sat, its smooth paint glinting in the sun. Red and the others sidled around to the side yard where they took up positions behind Cid's privacy fence, successfully hiding them from view. Cloud led Aeris to the edge of Cid's property, opposite Tifa's group and crouched behind the fence and some shrubs that happened to be planted in just the right spot.

They sat in total silence for what seemed like hours. Aeris had given up checking her PHS for the time; each time she felt like she had surely been squatting here for an hour, the little digital clock told her it had scarcely been ten minutes. Cloud crouched stoically next to her, never fidgeting, one hand loosely gripping the hilt of his sword. _The perfect soldier_, she thought wryly, noticing her own contrast to the image with her pink skirt and delicate, weaponless hands. Gratefully, the low rumble of a town car broke the maddening silence as it rolled smoothly up to the house. The driver hurriedly got out and strode to the back where he opened the door for a portly man in an ill-fitted suit.

Palmer straightened the tie around his neck with blunt, pudgy fingers and made his way up to Cid's door, briefly checking the watch that was strained around his fat wrist. Like yesterday, Shera answered the knocks on the door and lead the executive inside. Cloud gestured with his head for Aeris to follow to a closer spot where they would be able to hear what was being said. Just beyond the fence, the kitchen window opened into Cid's dining room where Palmer was leering hungrily at Shera. With the window cracked open as it was, it was easy to hear what was going on. "-out in a minute," Shera was saying nervously, "Can I get you some tea?"

"Yeah," Palmer said, "with lots of sugar and honey- oh! And don't forget the lard!" Aeris made a gagging sound and Cloud, smiling, held a finger to his lips.

"Well!" Came Cid's voice, sounding pleased but still rough. "If it ain't fatman Palmer! Where the hell is President Rufus?"

"Don't say _fat_!" Palmer admonished. "Rufus is on his way, just like you asked. He sent me to take care of the negotiations."

Cid's voice was suddenly angry and bitter, "You have the authority to start up the program, then?" It wasn't a question, it was a challenge.

"Well, no but-"

"Then I don't want to talk to you," he snapped viciously, "when will Rufus get here?"

There was a mumbled response and an irritated slap on, what Cloud guessed was the table. The same boring quiet ensued for another twenty minutes before it was mercifully broken by Rufus arriving in a white town-car. The doorman had scarcely gotten out of his own seat before Cid came stomping out the house and down the lawn. "The fuck is going on here?" Cid swore as Rufus and Tseng stepped out of the car. "You people start rumors about the Space Program, and that useless fat Palmer won't tell me a damned thing! I am too old for this bullshit; tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"Captain," Rufus said in a would-be cordial voice, had it not been for the sneering edge to it. "The ShinRa has need of your plane. You novel idea of a hybrid sea-plane and helicopter has not yet translated into a ShinRa model. We will require it to reach a temple that is so choked by dense jungles that the only suitable landing spot on its entire island is a single, tiny lake." Rufus brushed some imaginary dirt of his impeccable suit.

Cid's face was beet red, and his hands balled up into tight fists. "Fuck you!" he shouted at the top of his voice, "First it was the airship, then the rocket, and now my plane!? Abso-fucking-lutely not!"

"What a pity, _Captain_, it seems that you've forgotten that the ShinRa made it possible for you to fly in the first place."

Cid backhanded Rufus with a resounding _smack_. Cid's arm hadn't even finished its full arc before Tseng launched himself on the older man and they fell to the ground in a heap. No match for Tseng's combat prowess, the pilot found himself in a painful headlock with one of his arms held to his back. There was the sudden roaring of an engine and Rufus smirked, leaning in to Cid's face. "Palmer got your plane, _Captain_. Next time you-"

Gunfire erupted from where the Tiny Bronco sat in the backyard. Shock written on their faces, Cloud and Aeris shared a brief glance at each other before jumping up and vaulting over the fence. Tseng, Rufus, and Cid saw them and realization started to dawn on their faces. Cloud, hastily helping Aeris from the fences, bolted into the backyard where he found Barret firing on Palmer, who was running for his life back towards the front. Yuffie, in an effort to stop the plane, had climbed inside and began randomly mashing buttons in the center console. The plane, with its helicopter-like rotors whirring madly on the end of the wings, began to turn around in slow circles. Red and Vincent came sprinting out of the side yard after Palmer who shrieked at the sight of them and ran as fast as he could into the street. Aeris clapped her hands over her mouth and screamed, wide-eyed, as an industrial service freight truck, speeding down the road, smashed right into Palmer, sending him flying like a rag doll. Rufus and Tseng, still dragging Cid came around the house at that moment, trying to comprehend what exactly was going on and trying to restore order. Tseng unsheathed his handgun, intent on using Cid as a hostage, as the rest of Avalanche scrambled out of the way of the Tiny Bronco's rotor blades.

Cloud cheered silently as Tifa leapt from the roof, knocking Tseng to the ground and punching Rufus in the kidneys. Cid struggled to stand, and Tifa grabbed his jacket in an effort to drag him to the plane. Cloud grabbed Aeris by the arm and made for the fuselage of the Bronco as a platoon of ShinRa soldiers began running up the street. Barret and Vincent, followed by Cloud and Aeris climbed hastily inside as Red waited for Cid and Tifa and then jumped in himself. Regaining composure, Cid bodily shoved Yuffie from the pilot's seat, pulled a lever and smashing a blinking green button. The Bronco lurched forward and started to gain momentum. "I'd sit the fuck down if I were you," he snarled to the rest of them. At his command they struggled to buckle themselves in along the benches that hung off both walls of the main compartment.

The plane lifted off and Cid threw the throttle down. Gunfire erupted around them and as they went screaming over Rocket Town, an echoing bang sounded outside. "Oh great, there goes the goddamned port engine!" He put the throttle down further, giving them even greater speed.

"Are you trying to kill us!?" Cloud shouted in a panic, holding on to the bench for whatever support he could gain.

"We're goin' down, kid!" Cid shouted, turning to him. "Hold onto yer pants, and don't piss in 'em!"


	25. Uneeded Strain

Chapter Twenty-Five

Unneeded Strain

How many hours had passed before Vincent's eyelids fluttered open? He was sprawled across the floor and he was immediately aware of something heavy pinning his left leg. He had the fight the temptation to simply close his eyes again and go back to sleep; the floor was surprisingly comfortable and his crimson cape had been piled into a lump under his head, making a nice substitute for a pillow. His limbs ached something awful and he had to pause for a moment as the demon in the far reaches of his subconscious threatened to claim him in his instant of pain. Pointedly ignoring the feral thoughts of the Beast, he pushed himself to his knees where he was able to take in the sight of the wreck.

That's right, they had crashed. It took a moment for him to recall the details. The Tiny Bronco had started plummeting after one of the engines had been shot. Daylight was streaming through the tiny windows of the plane, and nothing distinguishable could be seen outside save the endless stretch of blank, turquoise sky. Craning his neck, he saw that Yuffie was collapsed across his legs, her face against the metal ground. Gently, he moved her by the shoulders and his old Turk training took over as he checked her small frame for injuries. Her breathing was normal and as he held up one of her thin wrists in his good hand, he could feel her pulse beating normally. He could see a black eye beginning to form, the cream-colored skin under her eye swelling and reaching a nasty shade of purple. Just as he was bending to take a closer look, however, her eyes snapped open. She gave him the briefest of appraising looks before gasping in fright and letting out a shriek.

He winced at the sound and sat up straighter, dropping her hand and looking irritated. Blushing furiously, Yuffie cringed and propped herself up on her elbows. "I'm… I'm sorry, Vincent," she stammered, looking mortified, "you just startled me, is all."

Well, that was one companion alive and unharmed at the very least. "Help me see if the others are as unharmed as yourself," he said gravely, with the slight edge of annoyance still tainting his deep voice.

She nodded bashfully as they both got shakily to their feet and began to tend to the others. Cloud was lying, awkward-angled, against the bench, one hand loosely grabbing Aeris' upper arm and one hand haphazardly thrown over the back of his head. Vincent hoped dearly that they weren't hurt; he had developed something of an attachment to both of them since his release from the coffin days earlier. Though he was a mere shadow of the man he once was, Vincent Valentine still recognized courage and honor of the highest caliber and Cloud, whether the younger man knew it or not, possessed both to an astonishing degree. And Aeris was, well, Aeris was just Aeris. You simply couldn't help but like her. She had been nothing short of warm to him- a mutant with no right to the second chance Avalanche had given him. Shaking them gently, and trying not to touch them with the horrible gauntlet, he was relieved to find that the both groaned at his touch. Cloud slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, nursing a gigantic blossoming bruise on his bare shoulder. He smiled thinly at Vincent, as they both watched in relief as Aeris, clutching her head, brought herself up into a kneeling position.

Cloud stood shakily, as Vincent went to attend to where Cid had fallen over the controls and was bleeding profusely. He saw Yuffie trying to wake up Barret, and beyond them, Tifa, her back to him, lying on the floor. Biting back his dizzy light-headedness, he stumbled over to her and kneeled, turning her towards him. Besides bleeding from a split lip, she looked as though she was sleeping peacefully. Her eyes opened slowly at his gentle prodding and she sat up, smiling wryly. "Let's never do that again," she said softly, rubbing the base of her skull tenderly. Standing, he turned to face the rest of Avalanche. Vincent had managed to wake up Cid, who was tentatively touching a formidable gash on his forehead. Once Cloud spotted Red in the corner, licking one massive paw, he was satisfied that they were all relatively unharmed.

The glass had shattered out of the windows and several seatbelts on the bench had come out of their fastenings. Endless, featureless ocean stretched out as far as they could see on every side of the small plane. Smoke was trailing from the port engine and making a huge, dark column that rose into the darkening sky but at least for the moment there were no leaks in the fuselage and they seemed to be very buoyant. Silence reigned for long, tense moments, before Cid stood up and retrieved a tool box from under the pilot's chair.

"What're ya doin'?" Barret asked casually, watching as the pilot stood and opened a hatch on the roof.

"Gonna try and fix the goddamn engine, what's it fucking look like?" he flung back heatedly, clambering ungracefully onto the body of the plane.

Tifa shook her head in irritation, knowing that as much as he might annoy her, the gruff pilot was their only hope at the moment. They could hear him banging around outside, swearing up a storm. Draped across the wing, he hung precariously over the edge; hovering above where the engine was still pouring smoke. Avalanche was silent; the gravity of the situation was starting to sink in. They had very few rations and no way to reach land. If they weren't able to figure out a way to reach shore, the small plane would be their grave. The huge column of smoke rising hundreds of feet into the air was a tell-tale marker for the ShinRa, and Cid's first act was to curb the copious amounts of the noxious fumes still steadily pouring out. He called down to them ever once in a while, telling them he had fixed the smoking, then later shouting about how he needed to get the plane moving again. Though nobody answered his monologue, Cid boasted about the sea-worthiness of the plane, saying that his hybrid design would have been utterly flawless had that "goddamned sonofabitch Rufus" hadn't had the engine "blown to shit and back".

It was a very long boring evening. Sitting in silence without anything to occupy themselves with, each teammate busied themselves with their own thoughts. Barret's mind had, once again, turned to his daughter- her beautiful, wide eyes and how she was so happy just to see him. Maybe he should send her something, some small trinket to let her know he was still thinking about her. He imagined her next birthday party; he would make damn sure that he would do it right if he ever made it back. Balloons, streamers, some ridiculously pink frilly cake, a mountain of beautifully wrapped presents, a goddamned clown, the whole damn thing. He sighed longingly, wondering what she was doing at that moment- wondering what her new favorite thing was. Had she given up on the plastic ponies yet? Was she still sleeping with the worn old rabbit toy he had got her for her last birthday? Did any other children live near Elmyra? He thought he might ask Aeris later, Marlene needed friends after all. Even if exposure to other children may bring about the asking of the "difficult" questions. "_My daddy's taking me to the movies today, Marlene," _he imagined some young kid saying excitedly, "_where's your daddy?" _He actually had to squeeze his eyes shut against their sudden burning and the aching lump in his throat. Massaging his temples, he tried not to think such horrible thoughts. Marlene was still young enough to forgive; provided that she still had a father after all of this.

The apricot colored twilight had long since given way to the velvety darkness of night before Cid cursed in a pleased sort of way and lowered himself back into the compartment. Meeting their expectant stares, he grinned lopsidedly and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "I had to feed the fuel line from the starboard to the port; she ain't got enough power to fly, but she'll sure as shit be able to tread water till we hit land."

"But," Aeris put in, "how do we know what direction Rocket Town's in?"

Cid blew out a puff of smoke with a snort. "Can't go back to Rocket Town now that it's crawling with ShinRa. No thanks to you."

"What do you mean you can't go back?" Aeris demanded suddenly, a rare look of anger passing over her face, "What about your wife? The ShinRa have her!"

The pilot stared at her blankly for a minute, his cigarette coming dangerously close to falling out of his mouth. His eyes widened in sudden understanding and he burst out in harsh laughter. "Shera? Don't make me sick! Ah, Rufus knows that hurting her won't get him what he wants."

Aeris' eyes flashed for a moment, looking furious and disgusted. "You're the most horrible-"

"Unless you feel like swimming back to save her worthless ass," Cid cut in coldly, glaring at her challengingly, "I'd just close my fat-ass mouth if I were you."

Tifa shot to her feet and made to slap Cid; Vincent was next to her in a flash, gently but firmly catching her hand as it swung towards Cid's unshaven face. "How _dare_ you!" she nearly shouted. "Don't you _dare_ talk to her that way!"

Cloud rushed over to stop the confrontation. "Just calm down, Tifa," he urged, allowing Vincent to lead her back to the bench. "Look, we need to get to land, we can worry about your issues later," he snapped, looking pointedly at Cid. "Somebody check and see if the PHS still gets a signal."

Yuffie held hers up. "Mine's fine."

Cloud ran a hand through his hair, which did nothing to tame its wild style. "Can you get a reading with the GPS? Figure out where we are and what our options are for landfall."

Yuffie obediently went to work, and after a few short clicks was able to give him an answer. "We're in the channel between the western continent and the Wutain mainland."

"Good," Cloud nodded, pleased that their situation at least afforded them some options. "Cid, head for Wutai."

Cid, surprisingly fell into line at Cloud's orders and after a few small adjustments started the engines. Satisfied that they indeed have forward movement Cloud made an effort to regroup and reassure the rest of Avalanche. Without asking permission, the young ex-SOLDIER retrieved a battery-powered lantern from a crate and turned it on; with the absence of cabin lights not even Cid could complain. Pointing out that as Shera couldn't be used as an effective hostage Rocket Town was of no use to them. At least they would have the opportunity to decide on a direction once they reached one of the outlying towns of Wutai. Avalanche regarded Cid coldly, much as he had done to them, and did not invite him into their conversations. He did not take it as a deterrent, though, and asked them questions anyway.

"You kids told me you came to Rocket Town to learn about the history," he stated blankly, interrupting their previous conversation. "I'm startin' to think you're full of shit."

"You'd be right, then," Cloud agreed, his voice rough and edgy.

"We're Avalanche," Barret declared, with no small amount of pride.

Cid looked utterly flabbergasted. "_You're_ Avalanche? The terrorists? I thought it was weird that you guys were staked out around my house with ol' firecrotch Rufus showed his ugly face." He was silent for a moment, rubbing his stubbly chin contemplatively. "Shit, I can't blame ya for wantin' to stick to 'em, the goddamn plane-wreckers." When no one answered him he continued, "Coupla years ago, they pushed some bull-shit legislation through so they could legally reclaim an airship I built with ShinRa grants. I'd love to take it back right under their fucking noses."

No one in Avalanche, not even Barret, offered him membership to the team. The exclusion wasn't lost on Cid, whose expression hardened as he turned back to the console. Aeris, looked at the back of his head appraisingly, and frowned thoughtfully. "You should join us, Cid."

He looked over his shoulder at them, his icy eyes skeptical as though he was expecting a sarcastic punch line to follow. The rest of Avalanche looked at Aeris in surprise, having felt sure that after he had been so rude to her, she would be the last one to vouch for his inclusion. "The ShinRa is corrupt; General Sephiroth is alive and trying to find the Promised Land and use it to some selfish end."

"_General Sephiroth_?" Cid breathed before he could stop himself. "He died years ago; that reactor explosion in Nibelheim…"

Tifa hugged herself and looked down at her booted feet, "No, he did that to the town. Cloud and I are the only survivors."

"You're trying to stop Sephiroth, a man who defeated the entire nation of Wutai singlehandedly? Have you actually seen him?"

Cloud's blonde eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah; he showed up in Nibelheim a few days ago and we followed him north to Rocket Town… where we lost him."

Aeris fidgeted slightly in her seat. "I was hoping to tell you this in private, Cloud," she said softly, not bringing her sparkling eyes to meet his, "but I need to say it-" The group's brows all raised in expectation, and Cloud himself instantly flushed in awkward embarrassment. "No!" she burst out, unable to keep from laughing at her friends' expressions or the creeping blush off her own cheeks, "It's not what you think!"

Most of the others chuckled at her embarrassed explanation; Tifa looked away, trying to hide her relief before Aeris could pick up on it. "I had a dream last night," Aeris began delicately, "I know it sounds stupid and that I have to proof, but it was prophetic." When no one scoffed or interrupted her, she found the courage to continue. "I dreamt that the Planet was leading me through the jungle; to a huge, ancient temple. It was golden and I could feel it calling to me… I felt at ease. The entrance gate opened but the only thing inside was darkness." She locked eye contact with Cloud, neither of them able to look away, "Sephiroth was there," she said slowly, praying that he understood, "when he went inside, something terrible happened…"

It felt, for a moment, as though they were the only two there, locked in some kind of hypnotized gaze, totally ignorant of their surroundings. "What happened?" he asked seriously, his worried curiosity far too powerful to resist.

"Darkness. It swallowed everything," she concluded with a sigh, as though it had been physically taxing.

"Before you scoff," Red spoke up suddenly, glaring at Cid (whose sharp intake of breath had reached the feline's sensitive hearing), "you would do well to know that this woman is the only survivor of the Cetra; the Ancients, to put it in laymen's terms that even you could understand. She has the ability to hear the Planet speak, among other things." Cid's mouth closed with a surprised snap and he glared darkly at Red's stoic countenance.

Cloud seemed to consider Aeris' warning carefully, as the rest of them (even Cid) fell back into momentary silence. "Y'know," the pilot began, taking a drag from his cigarette, "Rufus said somethin' about a temple in the jungle. That's why he needed the Bronco; he needed a sea plane to land in a lake on an island somewhere."

"You're right," Aeris said suddenly, looking at him with wide eyes. "A temple surrounded by jungles; the only suitable landing spot a single, tiny lake. Oh god, the ShinRa knows…" she trailed off looking worried. "There's something in that Temple, something terrible that was never meant to be found. We've got to go, Cloud, we _have_ to."

He looked at her, knowing with all his heart that what she said was true even while his logic pointed out the obvious- that it could be a coincidence, that Sephiroth had said north, that Rufus could have just made that up. Looking at her anxious face he knew somehow that he couldn't refuse here- that he wasn't _meant _to refuse her. "Yes," he affirmed, looking at his teammates, "we'll go to the temple. We'll make landfall in a few hours and decide on a plan from there. Cid will need time to fix the engines, we're going to need the Bronco a little longer."

"Why the hell not?" Cid lamented, throwing his hands in the air, "Ain't got much of a choice when yer stuck in a wreck with international terrorists."

With most of their plans settled, they tried to make the best of their time by relaxing and catching up on rest. It was still several long hours before they reached a dark, deserted beach in the shadow of high plateaus. Cid opened the main hatch of the cabin and jumped down into the surf, which reached his waist. The others followed, slopping towards the shore through the cold, churning water. With a set of long, thick ropes, they hauled the Bronco far enough onto the shore to protect it from the rising tide and the chance a ShinRa military craft would be able to easily spot it. In a moment of uncharacteristic seriousness, Yuffie pointed into the thickening woods beyond the sand. "The capital city of Wutai isn't far from here; its just north."

"Hang on a minute," Cid called, climbing back into the plane, "I gotta grab something!" He returned holding a piece of machinery over his head and some long bits of scrap metal. The machine turned out to be a tiny portable arc welder powered by an electric generator. Cid set the thing down in the sand and flipped a switch, smirking as it sputtered to life. Pulling the goggles down over his eyes he set to work manipulating the scrap metal he had retrieved. In moments he had a makeshift spear, complete with a leather handle he had fashioned from his belt. Leaving the welder where it sat, he gave the thumbs up and followed Avalanche into the foliage.

Not that being exclude had ever bothered Cid Highwind, but the way Avalanche was so _together _was starting to bug him. They talked amongst themselves, never bothering to look back at him or even check if he was still there. He was no co-dependent chump, he reminded himself, and he didn't need Avalanche's approval or acceptance. Try as he might, though, he simply could not shake the reluctant feelings of amazement as he watched the group of misfits function together as a team. Cloud was neither the most experienced fighter, nor the most senior member of the group, as far as Cid could tell, yet the rest of them all fell behind his leadership wholeheartedly. Both Vincent and Barret seemed to be older, and Barret definitely carried the look of a seasoned warrior. He wondered what made the huge, dark man fall obediently behind the much younger, not to mention skinnier, Cloud. His eyes fell to where Tifa and Aeris walked side-by-side towards the back of the group, talking quietly to themselves. Then guilt reared its ugly head. Tifa's infuriated face flashed in his mind, along with the brief flash of shock on Aeris' and the disgusted looks clearly written across the rest.

Never having been a "softie", he inwardly groaned at the idea of apologizing to Aeris for his earlier comments. He had every right to be mad, he told himself stubbornly. They had screwed him over and took him, unwillingly, away from his home. Be that as it may, an annoying, tiny voice in his head reprimanded him though, and told him it was quite the other way around. Avalanche had saved him; he would have been facing prison for simply hitting Rufus, and lost his plane and his home anyway. At least he still had the plane… and Shera would be safe without him. He grunted in irritation aloud; maybe he _was_ going soft. Swallowing his pride, he strode a little harder to reach where the frail woman was walking next to Tifa. "Hey," he said gruffly, touching her shoulder. Tifa looked at him with narrowed eyes, dislike clearly written across her face. Cid didn't smirk at her, remembering how close she had been to hitting him only a few hours earlier. "Look, Aeris," he grunted, not wanting to seem emotional or weak, "Sorry I yelled at you before. You didn't deserve it." There, that got the point across and still sounded manly.

She grinned broadly at him and gave his shoulder a playful pat. Beside her, Tifa looked reluctantly impressed and at least stopped giving him the death-glare. "Its okay," she said simply, looking ahead.

Cid, pleased that the apology had not been a drawn out ordeal, simply kept in step behind Cloud with the others. He found that the group was much warmer to him for it, however, and he tried hard not to feel too pleased at their inclusion of him into their midst. Maybe he really would get a chance to fuck up the ShinRa… to take all his pain and suffering back. The airship floated back into his imagination as they broke out of the woods and onto the flat surface of one of the plateaus.

A shout rent the air, and with a horrible shock, they realized they had wandered into a tiny ShinRa military outpost. Gunfire erupted immediately, scattering the companions and sending them fleeing back through the woods in random directions. The soldiers gave chase, weapons firing indiscriminately into the underbrush. After accidentally bumping into Yuffie as she darted into the trees, Cloud grabbed the person he was closest to, which happened to be Aeris, and hauled off into the woods; his nearly superhuman speed causing him to roughly drag the alarmed Cetra along with each pounding stride. He stopped abruptly to listen for a moment before he made towards a nearby tree, motioning for Aeris to climb. She did so with difficulty, trying to find foot holds and slipping every few seconds. Cloud clambered up behind her, lifting her by her upper arm as he went past. They sat on a thick branch in silence; listening intently for any sound of approaching footsteps.

After nearly an hour, low voices and the sound of someone approaching made Cloud tense from his perch in the tree. A flash of flaming crimson fur and muttered curse told him it was Red and Cid, Barret not far behind them. Nearly grinning with relief he dropped down and greeted them. "Have you seen any of the others?" Red asked worriedly, as Cloud and Cid assisted Aeris out of the tree.

"No," Cloud shook his head.

"Cloud?"

He turned and sighed with relief as Vincent and Tifa came jogging out of the darkness. She doubled over to catch her breath, clutching a stitch in her side.

"Well, now we need to find Yuffie and get the hell out of here," Cloud began, thinking of an efficient way to look for her without running into the soldiers in the dark forest.

"Yuffie has defected," Vincent said flatly.

There was thick silence as the others stood in disbelief. Finally, Cloud shook his head in an effort to physically clear the confusion. His mouth opened and closed twice in a stupefied silence before Tifa stood up straight. "She led us here, Cloud, she's stolen our materia. She used the outpost as a diversion."

In a flurry of worried mumbles, everyone besides Vincent and the martial artist began frantically checking their weapons for materia. Each person reaching the same numb conclusion. "Dammit, trusting her was a mistake," Cloud muttered, feeling an uncontrollable rage-laced panic rising in his chest.

"I'm gonna kill her!" Barret swore, clenching his good fist, "All she eva' wanted was to rob us!"

"Hang on," Aeris cut in, holding up her hands. "We need to calm down. First, we know that the Wutain Capital is a few miles north and second we know that she probably planned this from the start."

Red nodded, his jutting mane billowing lightly in the chilly midnight breeze. "Cloud, Wutai must be her goal. I think she means for us to be taken captive by the ShinRa, or else succumb during battle."

Cloud looked up at them, his angry face alight from the glowing of his Mako eyes. "We _will _find her. Let's get moving; we've got a long night-march ahead of us."

***

The power was incredible; she was unstoppable as she made her way leisurely along one of the worn roads towards her home. Simply because she could, she carried a flame in her left hand by way of Red's fire materia. She had completely overpowered everything in her path; monsters and the lone ShinRa patrol unit without even breaking a sweat. This was what she worked so tirelessly for, this wonderful strength that would liberate her people and restore their once-proud culture. She realized with a smirk that she should pay her old man a visit, to flaunt her newfound power in his stupid old face. Maybe she'd take on the five warriors and finally be recognized as a warrior herself and not some idle female to be dressed up and admired. Her smirk widened. She'd been gone for months now, and hoped that her sudden reappearance wouldn't put her old man into cardiac arrest. In the distant, brightening horizon, the outline of Wutai and the Da Chao Mountain slowly becoming visible out of the mist.


	26. Intentions

Super Quick Author's Notes: I'm posting a "percentage complete" in my profile so you can always check in and see how much work I've got done on the next chapter. On with it…

Chapter Twenty-Six

Intentions

The trek to Wutai had been difficult and the entire team had ended up with a very extensive collection of cuts and bruises. Owing to their streak of Devil's Luck, they had all escaped serious injury; even after being chased by pack of vicious plains' wolves, hunted by a company of ShinRa infantry, and nearly eaten alive by carnivorous plants. Everyone had been pushed to the limits of their physical strength by the time they entered the city's wide ornate gates in the early hours just after dawn. Cloud knew the party was exhausted but he dared not stop to let them rest. They had to find their stolen materia and quickly- without it, they were seriously handicapped in battle. Not only that, but the longer the Tiny Bronco sat partially camouflaged on that secluded beach the greater the chance the ShinRa would find them. If the Bronco was impounded, so was their only route to the jungle-temple Aeris had foreseen.

The city was a loud, bustling affair even so early in the hazy morning. Locals were out in droves, crowding the markets and getting the day's shopping done before the later morning hours when the tourists would drag themselves out of bed, shake off their hangovers, and bask in their guided tours and sightseeing adventures. Doing what he could to boost morale with the others, Cloud periodically assured them that Yuffie couldn't be too far ahead of them. They checked all the hotels they could find, looking through each guest book for _Yuffie Kisaragi_ or supposed aliases. They asked townspeople, describing her as young and loud-mouthed and carrying a huge shruiken. Most of the villagers could offer them no information beyond vague affirmations of sightings. Names that were phonetically similar to Kisaragi showed up all over Wutai; Cloud realized that this could very well be the traitor's hometown. With an exotic name like hers to be so common-sounding in such a place, he was starting to think that she had probably planned to leave them in the brush and go home with her booty. Nearing lunchtime, he agreed to stop for a meal but made it clear that there would be very little rest for them until they had recovered their materia. They wandered towards a small noodle shop at the end of the street, each privately counting down the moments before they were able to indulge in a hot meal, when, by mere chance, Cloud happened to glance inside the open doorway of the bar they were passing.

A flash of navy and red caught his eyes, and his stride faltered. Before Cloud could remedy his mistake Barret noticed his gaze and followed it inside the bar. Only a fraction of a second passed before Barret shouted an obscenity; effectively drawing attention to himself. The rest of them stopped short and, having enough time to react by now, gasped. At the table closest to the door sat Reno, Rude, and the fidgeting Elena. Reno's flaming head turned and peered at them over his suited shoulder while Rude lowered his head to look at them over his ever-present shades. "Avalanche!" Elena gasped, pointing.

Reno and Rude stood from their beers and snacks and sauntered arrogantly out the door towards them. They were the perfect pair in their sheer opposing personalities- Rude, the hypercompetetent, and Reno, the sadist. Elena came up behind them, her hand nervously creeping towards her pistol. Smirking dangerously, Reno leaned a little towards Rude, crossing his thin arms. "Would'ya lookit that," he purred, looking totally calm. "Rufus has been crawling up our asses to get you guys." Rude made the tiniest grunt of agreement though his face remained unreadable. Reno elbowed his partner appreciatively, his smirk tugging at his thin lips.

"Rufus is pretty good at being a pain in the ass," Cid shot back, his rough voice confrontational.

Reno chuckled, glancing back to where his bottle of beer sat invitingly at their table, "Yeah, but seeing as we have-" he checked his watch thoughtfully, "six hours of vacation left, we won't be getting paid to start shit with you fools."

Cloud stood dumbstruck, his sword gripped loosely in his hands. Elena mirrored his expression. "You guys!" she hissed, leaning up to Reno, "They're _Avalanche_! It's our _job_ to capture them!"

Reno turned to her looking pained and waving her off dismissively, "When its time to work, work. When its time to fuck off, fuck off."

Elena opened her mouth in obvious disgust, searching for a biting comeback. Reno leered suggestively at Tifa, who returned his gaze stonily, and went straight back into the bar without another word. Rude followed, his face still the same unreadable mask, leaving a flustered and panicky Elena staring down Avalanche by herself. She holstered her gun in a hurry, knowing full well that she couldn't take them on alone. "They might be lazy bastards, but I'm not!" she spat at Cloud, "I'm calling Tseng!"

Barret looked like he would have preferred fighting it out and nearly made to follow them into the bar. Cloud gave the other man a light shove onwards, "Come on, move it!" Irritation and the unusual hint of panic were evident in Cloud's anxious voice, "Tseng won't let them slack off. We gotta find Yuffie and get out of here."

"Those were the rest of the Turks?" Vincent asked, his dark eyebrows disappearing under his bandana, "The organization certainly has changed."

Abandoning their plans for lunch, they resumed their search for the deviant ninja and their stolen materia. The situation was starting to look grim, and Cloud was beginning to feel the vice like grasp on anxiety gripping his innards. They had wasted far more time than he had wanted, though he admittedly had not been very optimistic about the whole ordeal in the first place. If this was Yuffie's home, she would know the area better and have a great advantage hiding from them. The only positive aspect to the whole ordeal was Red's assertion that Yuffie was banking on them getting captured or killed before they could reach the city. Had he been in the ninja's place, Cloud would not have made such a hopeful gamble. At least Yuffie's apparent lack of foresight seemed ludicrously foolish. Red had a good track record for his predictions in the end and Cloud knew he would just have to hope the young beast was right.

As they were interrogating another local, they were approached by the most severe-looking woman Cloud had ever seen. She had a face as sharp as a blade and the slight slant of her eyes and sharp nose gave her the appearance of a very stern hawk. She was dressed in silk finery of the deepest violet, setting her apart from the crowds clad in cotton and modern casual wear. Several nearby tourists actually reached for their cameras and, most surprising of all, the local they had been speaking to bowed low. The woman approached Cloud with a purposeful, confident stride. "You are the man seeking the daughter of Leviathan?" she asked through a thick accent, although it barely sounded like a question.

He stood there dumbly, wondering what this stranger could possibly be talking about.

"You seek the Lady Kisaragi." This time it wasn't a question, she bowed stiffly then locked eyes with the blond, "You are requested in the presence of his Imperial Majesty. You will follow me."

The others looked to their leader questioningly, but Cloud had heard enough. He followed the woman as she lead them through the streets of Wutai, heading towards a huge central square that was occupied by a huge, flamboyant red and gold pagoda. As they got closer they could make out sprawling ornamental gardens partially hiding a larger, equally embellished building. At the entrance to the main walk that would lead to beautiful golden doors, an armed guard bowed them inside. "I am called Chekhov," the woman said sharply to Cloud, still paying the others no mind. "I am the Lady Chamberlain of the palace and only by the request of his Imperial Majesty are foreigners like yourselves permitted to enter this sacred ground. Court tradition dictates that you are dressed far too poorly to attend an audience with the High Lord, but our situation does not allow time for that," she glared at Cloud as though it was all his fault. "You will understand my meaning shortly."

Not liking her stern demeanor, Avalanche followed silently behind her, ignoring her harsh comments if only to hear news of Yuffie's whereabouts. Passing the columned porch, they entered the main building where richly dressed ceremonial guards stood on either side of a curtained doorway just beyond the flagstone entryway. Chekhov ordered the companions to wait while she, resuming her imperial stride, entered the chamber beyond. She was speaking in rapid Wuitain and after a moment, the guards drew back the heavy silk curtains and gestured them through. Uncomfortable as the whole situation was, Cloud knew that it was his duty as the leader of Avalanche to handle the situation well; not necessarily for the sake of formality but more so for the information they so desperately needed. Straightening up, he made his way to where Chekhov stood bowing before a man sitting on a throne. The others followed him, their shoes scuffing the stone floor softly with each step. Two lines of guards in the same silk outfits as the two guarding the door stood completely still and silent on either side of the room. They carried embellished scimitars but a furtive glance at their unsharpened edges told Cloud they were merely ceremonial weapons. Chekhov, following some guideline unbeknownst to Avalanche, directed them to bow to the Lord then sit on the floor before him. Cloud, his position as leader recognized by the entire court, had been placed in front of where the rest of them sat in a neat line. Chekhov eyed them beadily over her angular nose, as though watching over a class of rambunctious kindergarteners.

The man they had been kneeling before looked much kinder and round-faced than his aide, though his countenance was darkened at the moment. He boomed something in Wutain and the guards left, leaving only the chamberlain, himself, and Avalanche in the ceremonial throne room. "Your Imperial Majesty, Lord Godo," Chekhov began officially, "these are the rebels of Avalanche, companions of the Daughter of Leviathan, as you have ordered."

"This is not a time for protocol, Chekhov. Our situation is perilous." The lord waved his aide off, and turned his attention to the rebels in front of him, speaking a flawless common dialect. "We will cut right to the problem. Yuffie Kisaragi is Our only daughter, and thusly, the only heir to the royal house of Wutai." Tifa and Aeris shared shocked glances while both Cid and Barret's mouths dropped open in surprise. "I can see by your expressions that this is something of a shock," Godo said, fighting the urge to chuckle. "She is far too rebellious for her own good; she thinks that she will rid Wutai of the ShinRa's foreign occupation by herself while We are forced to cooperate with them for the good of the people. Her open rebellion to the ShinRa will only get her killed and put Our own work and hardship into jeopardy. She is a princess, not a warrior, and she does not obey her father. She ran away from home months ago, and now I learn that she joined forces with you for a time. You will appreciate the gravity of the situation, then, when I tell you that some anonymous entity sent me a threatening letter this morning concerning Yuffie's safe return. "

Several members of Avalanche couldn't hold back a gasp and Godo continued on. "I threw the letter away, knowing full well that Yuffie would not return to Wutai while the ShinRa still occupy it. I had full confidence in her until word reached my ears of the group of foreigners searching for her. I do not wish to believe it, but it seems that your presence here is proof of hers. The ransom demanded an exorbant amount of Gil, predictably, to be delivered to the right hand of Da Chao by sunset. Naturally, the consequences, as outlined by the culprit, include death. I would not like to appear heartless in front of guests, but should Yuffie be publically exposed as an anti-ShinRa terrorist right here in Wutai… it would deftly remove all ceremonial power the ShinRa have yet to take away from me. "

"We have no interest in saving her," Cloud retorted stubbornly after an instant's hesitation. "She stole our materia and we're only looking for what's ours. After that, I don't care what happens to her."

To his astonishment Godo burst out laughing. "Well said, young man. Yuffie has always been infinitely selfish, using whatever means to achieve her ends. I will say this; however, Yuffie is also not the type to keep stolen booty on her. If I had to guess, she has probably hidden what she has stolen to safe guard it until it was ready to be used. If it was materia she stole from you, it is most definitely hidden somewhere. She probably planned to outfit a small band of Wutaians with it to stand against the ShinRa; she tried to convince Us to aid her with this plan before."

"You're telling me that we'd have to save her to find it then," Cloud sighed in defeat.

Godo stroked his mustache, "Rescue my daughter, stranger, and I will use all the resources available to me to find what is yours." The lord leaned closer to them over his throne and added as an afterthought, "And to also help you in your fight against the ShinRa."

***

It had to have been on of the strangest days of his young life, Cloud thought morosely, sealing the day's odd events with a stiff nod of his head. The Turks, as it had turned out, had received a letter nearly identical to Godo's concerning a freshly abducted Elena. Reno and Rude had cornered them leaving the Palace and a fight had at least been avoided thanks to Rude's calm questioning. It was actually he who suggested the temporary truce and joining of forces to which Cloud found himself presently agreeing. Should Elena meet a sticky end, Reno and Rude would surely be hauled in for some kind of inquiry and, as Rude had so stoically put it, a Turk being kidnapped was already a terrible tarnish on their ruthless reputation. Over Reno's protests, Rude agreed to omit seeing them in Wutai at all when he and his partner were due back in Midgar at the end of their short vacation tomorrow. Unable to resist the handicap, Cloud had agreed over Barret's and Cid's protests.

Acting in haste, Cloud, Avalanche, and now the Turks made their way to the mountains lying just outside of town. Their surface had been intricately carved into the multi-armed deity, Da Chao, who, Vincent was saying, was the humanoid avatar of Leviathan, Wutai's patron god. Tifa, in a valiant attempt to ignore Reno's feeble attempts at conversations about himself, was determinedly forcing Vincent to speak continuously by asking him any question she could think of. The ex-Turk, being far too polite to ignore her covert pleas for help chatted on awkwardly, though he did seem to know a great deal about the nation's basic history.

They reached the foot trail up onto the stone figure of Da Chao and were unable to make out any signs of recent travel. Pressing onward, they silently marveled at the size and scope of the holy image overlooking the capital. Without turning his head, Cloud peered at the suit-clad figures of Reno and Rude in his peripheral vision. He trusted both of them about as far as he could toss them but, at least for the moment, they both seemed more concerned with Elena and their boss discovering the slip up.

As the trail started to incline dramatically, Rude and Cloud suddenly halted at the lead of the group. They stood level on Da Chao's chest, having passed the left hand several long minutes ago. Across the void that fell into the god's lap, they could make out the farthest right hand, which was, as both ransom notes had described, the place where they were to leave the kidnappers' demands. Cloud squinted along the figure of the god, looking for signs of either hostage or the perpetrators themselves. Crouching next to him, Rude pulled a small pair of binoculars out of his jacket pocket and immediately went to work trying to locate any signs of life. "It's a set up," Rude said tersely after a silent moment, carelessly tossing the binoculars to Reno, who held them up to use.

"Fucking amateurs," Reno grunted with a small sigh, looking as though he would've preferred a challenge. At the expectant look on Cloud's face, Reno gestured up towards the head of the monument. "The idiots responsible for this are holed up on an outcropping up there. Elena and your chick are tied up on the ledge opposite the hand," he said pointing, "I can see eyelets under that ledge, if I had to guess, I'd say that the kidnappers probably want to gain an upper hand by dangling them over the edge to scare anybody who put up resistance."

Though he would never admit it, Cloud was impressed with their immediate grasp on the situation and though he was resistant to their response, they had come up with a strong plan of attack in a few moments. Reno unholstered his nightstick and adjusted one of his black, fingerless gloves as he rolled his head to the side; neck popping loudly. "You guys confront the targets in the outcropping, I'll position myself under the girls, and Rude will cover us."

"Vincent," Cloud said, knowing full well he wasn't about to allow Reno the chance for his own hostage situation, "you go with Reno. Barret, you back up Rude."

Reno smirked, giving Cloud a sarcastic salute. Vincent stood next to the shorter red-head and, after checking his own weapon, silently followed him down to a small ledge that crossed the belly of Da Chao. Barret glared at Rude angrily and grunted in annoyance as the bald man made to move up the path to the huge statue's equally large shoulder, giving them full aim over the whole situation that would undoubtedly play out. Cloud gave Barret what he thought was a manly clap on the shoulder, "Do it for our materia." The huge gunman snorted but nodded at his leader's request and followed Rude.

Cloud, nodding to the rest of his team, resumed their trek upwards, through a cave around the back of Da Chao's neck and back out into sunlight. Biting back any doubts of their shaky alliance with the Turks, Cloud held his sword tightly in his hands and moved. Sudden scraping behind them alerted them to the presence of others and they whipped around. Five rough-looking thugs fanned out behind them as four more came out of hiding in front. Surrounded, they brandished their weapons and quietly sized up their opponents. A greasy laugh erupted from the rocky shadows and a rotund figure stepped into the sunlight.

"Don Corneo!?" Tifa nearly laughed with incredulousness, looking a little exasperated.

"Ugh, its you guys," he sagged, with a particularly nasty look at Cloud.

"Where's Yuffie, slimeball?" Cloud asked, brandishing his huge sword, which glinted manevolently in the setting sun.

"Oooh, you mean my new favorite chickie?" Corneo giggled, holding his fat palms to his equally fat cheeks. "I love 'em saucy!"

At Corneo's signal, an additional thug appeared at the ledge Reno had predicted dragging both Elena and Yuffie, who were struggling to walk upright though the small allowance of movement their bound ankles allowed them. Cloud could see that their wrists were also bound tightly behind them and they both had identical red rash lines across their faces, indicating that they had been gagged. "You guys!" Yuffie shouted in a voice that was both very relieved and very nervous.

Cloud strode forwards but had only made it a pace or so before Corneo held up his meaty hands. "I wouldn't come any closer if I was you," he warned, "you might make me injure my two lovely guests!" The thug on the ledge gave Yuffie a shove and she stumbled dangerously close to the side, teetering on the very edge. Elena gave a small shriek of terror and watched in horror as Yuffie managed regain enough balance to not pitch over the side. Cloud exhaled slowly, calming his nerves. Reno and Vincent would have had enough time to position themselves by now, wouldn't they? Pursing his lips, Cloud lunged forward and cut deeply into the two unfortunate cronies in front of him.

Cid, Tifa, Red, and Aeris made quick work of the advancing ruffians- Cid cursed delightedly as he brought the shaft of his spear into one's temple. Cloud couldn't fight back a small swell of pride as his companions finished incapacitating Corneo's men. Corneo himself was looking rather pale, even the shining bald scalp visible to the sides of his scraggly Mohawk seemed to glisten with cold sweat in the evening sun. Turning and sprinting away with surprising speed for a man of his size, he waved his arm wildly at the final crook on the ledge.

Several things happened in such blinding succession that no one had time to process it. The thug shoved Yuffie forward with a violent force at the same time a deafening gun shot rent the air. Yuffie, still hopelessly bound, could not save herself and pitched forward over the edge of the cliff letting out the most horrified scream any of them had ever heard. Aeris let out a shout of fear and clapped her hands over her mouth as she shot forward with Cloud to the edge of their own path to see what had happened. The lackey on the ledge fell to his knees, dead from the single shot, and Elena sunk to a sitting position, frozen with fear. Cloud nearly fell off a ledge himself, in his rush to get a handle on the fate of Yuffie.

He laughed aloud in relief, however, as he took in the situation. Reno and Vincent had indeed been in position. The red-headed Turk had managed to catch the young ninja, who was sobbing her eyes out at the moment, still shaking with terror. Vincent waved to them, to signal their achievement, and slowly helped lead Reno, still carrying Yuffie, back up the path.

Corneo made a break for it. He bolted past them and up the stone wrist of a second right arm. A second blast exploded in among the collective gasps; a chunk of hand blew out from under Corneo's feet, peppering him with shrapnel and causing him to slip over the edge. With a surprising amount of tenacity and quick reflexes, Corneo snatched desperately at the stone figure, and managed to find just enough grip to suspend him, hundreds of feet, above the stone god's lap. Reno and Vincent, with Yuffie and Elena in tow, joined the main team from the lower path and carefully took in the situation. Reno, working quickly, passed the nearly prone Yuffie to Vincent and jogged past Avalanche to where Corneo dangled helplessly from the statue. At the lanky Turk's approach, the rotund crime lord struggled to regain footing, sensing that this didn't bode well for him.

"Get away!" Corneo yelled, a hysteric screech to his frantic voice. "I've done a lot of work for the ShinRa! I've always cooperated!"

Even from below, Cloud could see the beginnings of a sadistic smirk playing at Reno's mouth. They could hear Corneo grunting with effort, trying desperately to escape Reno's approach. "I've been an informant to the Turks for years! Get away!"

Punctuated by a gasp from Avalanche, Reno brought his heavy, booted heel crashing down on Corneo's pudgy knuckles. He shouted in pain, but did not let go of the ledge. Cloud made no move to stop him, feeling particularly callous towards the crime don, but was unable to tear his eyes away from the situation. "We have a job that's expected of us," Reno said, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag. "We work hard for our reputation- a reputation that you nearly blew today."

Corneo could only watch in horror as Reno stomped again at his bloody knuckles. Turning his foot side to side, the Turk put more and more grinding pressure on Corneo's hands. "Why do you think I would go through the trouble of teaming up with criminals to catch a bottom feeding scumbag like yourself?"

Corneo didn't answer; his bloodied hands were slipping on the smooth stone and he was still kicking madly trying to reach footholds. Reno squatted in front of him, blowing a cloud of smoke into the humid air. "The answer is," he continued, speaking softly and enunciating every syllable, "because its my job."

With a scrape, Reno's heel caught Corneo's knuckles a final time and with a sharp jerk of his foot, loosened the crime lord's grip on the stone arm of Da Chao. Don Corneo released his hold and with a terrified scream fell into the void. Unflinching, Reno watched him fall the entire time. Cloud didn't bother himself to look at what remained of Corneo, hoping to be able to stomach a well-earned meal when he finally made it back into Wutai. Most of the others, especially Tifa and Aeris, seemed unperturbed at Corneo's untimely demise, though Aeris seemed as though she heartily disapproved Reno's merciless actions.

He came sauntering back to them as Rude and Barret rejoined them. Vincent, ever the gentleman, was busy removing the painfully tight lengths of rope from Elena's wrists. Yuffie was coming down from her panic now that the threat had passed, but was now suffering from an uncomfortable dread. Vincent had not untied her- he was still working on the female Turk- and with no way to escape, Yuffie was starting to feel sick with worry over how her ex-teammates would treat her. Rude helped Elena to her feet and she nearly collapsed on him. "I thought I was going to die!" She wrung her hands together to quell their uncontrollable shaking.

Rude looked down at her and adjusted his shades. "You're an embarrassment," he voiced bluntly, his face the same blank mask.

Elena looked shocked and hurt, stepping back from him blinking and visibly biting her lower lip. Her expression suddenly grew stony however, as her booted heels snapped together and she stood up to her full (though unimpressive) height. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, her honey eyes hidden under a sheet of sleek blonde bangs. "I won't ever let it happen again."

"I sure as shit hope not," Reno mumbled through his quickly fading cigarette.

Elena flashed him the briefest of smiles, suddenly understanding the importance of her position as a Turk. She had been the best in her class, hadn't she? She had always been ruthlessly efficient at whatever task her superiors had set for her, hadn't she? Rude spoke softly to Cloud, his deep voice unitelligable over the whistling wind. Rude, it seemed, had enlisted a shaky alliance with Avalanche to take advantage of the extra man-power to retrieve her and the Wutaian girl without making a scene. She vaguely felt the shame welling inside of her… rescued by the fugitives she hunted; it was deplorable. No doubt Rude had offered them some kind of head start in exchange for their cooperation. Thinking of Tseng, she clenched her fists. She was a _goddamned_ Turk. She would _never_ tell Tseng that she had been pathetically bound and gagged like some dopey damsel in distress. Reno and Rude could certainly be bribed into silence, she knew, and she would do exactly that. She would allow Avalanche their promised freedom for now, but as soon as Rude's offer expired, she would be right on their trail again.

Rude stood stoically, towering over Cloud's shorter and skinnier frame. "We'll leave you here. As promised, this meeting never happened." Reno shoved his hands into his pants pockets and began to pick his way down the mountain trail. Rude, with one last glance at Avalanche, turned and followed with Elena not far behind.

Yuffie had never felt more self-concious in her life as she watched Cloud and the others turn to face her one by one. After a questioning glance at Cloud, Vincent approached her and removed her binds. Her eyes darted for any means of escape, though her brain argued that it was pointless. She was cornered and at their mercy. Wringing her hands together, she looked searchingly into her ex-leader's expressionless stare. "Cloud, I-"

He held up a hand and shook his head. "I don't care. I don't want your story, I want our materia and I want it now."

She choked back her own words, suddenly intimidated by this man who she had never really respected. His eyes were frighteningly cold, and the thin, tense line that was his mouth was taut with anger.

"I… o-okay," she stumbled, looking away from Cloud's face. "I stowed it in a small shack just outside of town."

***

Yuffie, her young face reddened with mounting shame, handed the sack of glowing orbs to Cloud, who passed it along to Aeris to distribute. "You guys go back to Godo and report, I need to say something to Yuffie."

"My father sent you!?" Yuffie burst out as the others retreated from the small home.

"Corneo sent him a ransom note and he asked us to find you before you were exposed as an anti-ShinRa rebel."

"I've been such a fool," she sighed, her eyes growing moist with tears.

Cloud crossed his muscular arms, "No denying that."

"I'm sorry," Yuffie muttered, avoiding his eyes. "I'm sorry I betrayed you."

"You should be sorry that you cost us a full day's worth of time," he shot back, his voice harsh but not loud. "The ShinRa know about that temple and could very well be there already. Our only upper hand was the Tiny Bronco and we had to put off repairs to chase you around all day to try to get materia that we worked our asses off to get and develop. If you hate the ShinRa so much you should steal from them, not from the only ones trying to make a stand."

She looked at him, tears rolling out of her red eyes. He seemed unaffected by her emotional outburst and continued in the same restrained, angry tone. "Your father says you resent him for cooperating with the ShinRa, but you're the one who's running around like some stupid kid with no thought for anything further down the road. He has to deal with their bureaucratic takeover to protect a whole country full of people that the ShinRa wouldn't loose sleep over wiping off the face of the Planet- and you know damn well that we've all nearly been killed hundreds of times trying to stop the ShinRa and Sephiroth. If you really, truly hate the ShinRa fight them. Don't run around like some impulsive idiot jeopardizing the hard work others have accomplished because you're too immature to do something constructive with your anger."

He seemed to be finished with his tirade and turned to leave. Yuffie, unable to control the shame and guilt bubbling up within her, burst into tears and lurched after him. "I'm sorry," she sobbed into the back of his shoulder, still frightened at how blunt he'd been with her, "I'm sorry I screwed everything up!"

She flung her arms around the front of his neck and cried loudly into his back, feeling like the idiot child he had just accused her of being. She had been a part of their team; an ally… a friend… and she had thrown it all away in a moment of blind greed and impulsivity. She had jeopardized everything they had risked their lives for- all for some harebrained scheme that she had never really bothered to work out. She had never been more ashamed of herself in her life.

Cloud stood still and silent for a long moment, allowing her to cry freely but not offering any mollifying words. When, at long last, Yuffie gulped back her sobs with some amount of finality, Cloud faced her. "What are you going to do?" he asked, his voice no longer angry but still carrying some resentment.

"I wanna come with you," she replied, sniffling. "I want to make up for what I did, and… I want to fight the ShinRa since my father can't."

He ran a hand through his hair, placing the other on his hip. "I _knew_ you were going to say that," he answered with the smallest trace of humor.

Yuffie didn't feel like smiling at his tiny attempt at lightheartedness. "Please let me come with you, I'll do it right this time."

He didn't answer for a long moment, his icy eyes were distant and he seemed to deeply consider her plea. "I'll let you come back to us," he started, appraising her with an intense gaze, "but only because we're desperate for the extra strength. I can't deny you're a good fighter. I'll tell you this, though: if you're serious, our trust is something you're going to have to work hard at to regain. If you're putting on a sympathy act to take advantage of our desperation," his voice dropped and he pointed an intimidating finger in her tear streaked face, "I will have _absolutely_ no qualms in teaching you a violent lesson when I find out."

She nodded silently, taking in his every word. "There is," she ventured timidly sometime later, as they walked side by side back to the palace, "something else I need to do in Wutai."

"What's that?" he asked, not bothering to look at her.

"It's an old tradition; I have to perform the Cardinal Warriors rite," she answered quietly. "It's a warrior's acceptance ritual. Dad will have to acknowledge me as a warrior if I can pass the test; I don't want to fight with him anymore."

Cloud nodded curtly. "We'll be on our way again as soon as the Bronco can fly, don't dawdle."

"Thank you," she mumbled under her breath, and she meant it sincerely.


	27. Distractions and Focus

Author's Notes: Lots of happy fluff in this chapter. We'll get back down to business next time.

Chapter Twenty Seven

Distractions and Focus

The moment Yuffie and Cloud had returned to the Wutaian palace, Godo caused a huge uproar. He was simultaneously relieved and enraged at his daughter and flew into a diatribe at her appearance. They argued shrilly in Wutaian for several long moments before settling down far enough to speak civilly to one another. A second argument broke out mere moments after the first had been pacified, though, as Yuffie asserted her wish to perform the Cardinal Warriors rite. Godo had flatly refused, asking rudely if Yuffie had any plans to be an acceptable lady of the Wutaian court and marry an actual man. This, of course, had set the young ninja on a tirade of her own and in the end, Godo had given in and ordered Chekhov to prepare the preceding purification ritual.

Yuffie had made several demands of her father, and after two more heated debates, he quailed under his daughter's fierce assertions and provided what she had asked. Godo sent a small squad of palace guards to the southern point of the peninsula to retrieve the Tiny Bronco and haul it up along the coast to the capital for repair. She felt the need to make up her heavy debt to Avalanche, and speeding along the repairs while the others could have a bit of relaxation mollified some of her lingering guilt. She demanded that they be treated as her guests of honor and would be present during the ceremony. "I've got to do the purification ritual," she huffed, as though the whole ordeal was an annoyance, "I probably won't see you guys until tomorrow morning. A boy named Shake was my attendant when I still lived here; I'll send him out to see to your needs." She waved them a hasty goodbye as Chekhov swept in and ushered her out, still looking like a bad-tempered eagle.

Nobody named Shake made an appearance in their wake, though Godo set to work preparing a place for them to spend the night while his guards retrieved the Bronco under cover of darkness. They lounged carelessly in the throne room, enjoying icy drinks an attendant had brought them and waited for Godo's entourage to lead them away once their rooms were prepared. Cloud suspected that it was due to some cultural proprietary, but Tifa and Aeris' proffered quarters were on the completely opposite corner of the palace from his and the others'. He didn't mind though, thinking that the two women would probably thoroughly enjoy the chance to get away from all the guys for a change. It must be tough to sleep, eat, and bathe in such close quarters with a bunch of men, some of which were near total strangers. When the rooms were finally prepared, two young girls in traditional silk robes came to get them "prepared" for dinner and bed. One attendant seemed to focus her attention on Tifa and Aeris while the other motioned for Cloud and the remaining to follow her. The two girls led all of Avalanche down a richly decorated hallway adjacent to the entrance hall. Cloud sensed the humidity as soon as he entered, noting that it was much warmer here than the rest of the palace they had seen thus far. Seeing the mildly puzzled expression on his face, one of the young court ladies turned back around to them and said, "The palace baths are down here, you'll need to clean up before you eat."

Tifa and Aeris were led to a door father down the hall while Cloud and the others were ushered through a huge lacquered door in front of them. Stepping across the threshold, he heard Cid swear in appreciation behind him. It was some kind of massive changing room, he noted, looking at the handsome, hand carved clothes racks and the short line of private shower stalls. "I cannot _wait_ to clean the monster slime off me," Cid asserted, making a beeline to where a pile of freshly laundered white cotton robes sat in a neat pile on a wooden rack.

"Indeed, and here I had been wondering if you bathed regularly at all," voiced Red softly from the marble floor. Vincent's colorless lips twitched at the remark causing Cid to swear defensively. Cloud, far too enticed with the prospect of bathing to interject into their humored disagreement, quickly stripped, tossing his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor. He quickly donned one of the thin robes and padded out the rear door, where he assumed the bath would be. He could hear the others behind him, good-naturedly making fun of each other, slowly meandering their way to the doorway he had passed through. The shimmering wooden floor gave way to cold white and gray marble once past the door and into the bath chamber itself.

The bath was enormous; in fact, he had never seen one so large. This one was the size of a swimming pool, gently emitting soft puffs of steam. He threw the robe off to the side and walked as fast as he could without running into the hot water. Splashing in up to his naked waist, he gulped in a deep breath and ducked under the surface. The feeling was wonderful. The water was scalding hot, burning the sensitive skin of his face, but he was grateful for the feeling. Underwater, he could hear the telltale, muffled splashes of the others getting in. Pushing slowly off the marble bottom, he stood up, breaking the rippling surface. His hair fell in dripping rivulets over his pink face as he surveyed his teammates. Cid had ducked under the water as he had; Cloud could see him scrubbing at his hair from above. Barret had just removed his gun arm and, flinging his own robe away, crashed into the water, swearing happily at its heat. Vincent, his hair limp with steam and the lack of his usual bandana, was sitting on one of the steps with his gauntlet resting carefully on the edge, his inhuman crimson eyes closed in relaxation. Red, however, would not join them in the water. He lolled carelessly on the cool stone, methodically licking the toes on one overlarge paw.

"Damn!" Barret crowed, "A hot bath and a hot meal! I never wanna see no more dried rations ever again!"

Cloud tipped back in the water, letting himself float idly on his back. "You better stuff yourself tonight, then," his voice sounded funny, he thought, as his ears filled with hot water. "We'll be out of here as soon as they can fix the plane."

***

Neatly folding her robe and placing against the wall, Aeris moved to the edge of the massive stone bath, and stepping in, she drew in breath like a hiss at the water's high temperature. Tifa had already settled herself on one of the steps, her dark hair soaked and her cheeks flushed. "This is nice, isn't it?" Aeris asked pleasantly, though slightly strained, as she struggled to sit in the water.

"Yeah," Tifa replied contentedly, having already voiced her supreme pleasure at the opportunity to be rid of her filthy clothes and clean up for a change. She looked over to where Aeris sat stiffly and a tiny grin spread across her face. "I was almost worried that we'd all have to bathe together," she admitted with mirth, "but I guess after all we've been through it wouldn't really be a big deal, would it?"

Aeris' light eyebrows raised and she eyed Tifa's outline meaningfully, "Oh, I don't really think you have anything to be ashamed about."

Tifa laughed lightly and gestured with her head at Aeris, "Or you."

They both laughed. Aeris sank lower into the water, "I was hoping for privacy so I could avoid any conversations concerning size comparisons."

Tifa snorted and they both doubled over with hysteric laughter, clutching their aching sides and squeezing their eyes shut. Their raucous laughs echoed off the stone walls and it was long minutes before they were able to compose themselves enough to quiet down. After a small stretch of silence, Aeris glanced back over to where Tifa sat, a small smirk still playing at her pink lips. "With the way you look, I can't imagine what you were worried about. Bathing with the guys, I mean."

"With just one of the guys," Tifa muttered under her breath, but Aeris heard her anyway.

"Yeah, I guess I could understand that," Aeris agreed, nodding her head slightly. Tifa turned her face away, her cheeks flushing crimson far more than what the steam could account for. The Cetra did not miss it though, she had always been highly adept at reading people and Tifa's sudden shyness only confirmed her own suspicions. "Have you said anything to him?" she asked, trying to sound encouraging and non-judgmental.

Tifa's face grew even redder, if it was possible, and opened her mouth to reply but no words came. "It's okay," Aeris amended quickly, sensing Tifa's anguish, "you don't have to say anything." She looked the martial artist over carefully; trying to sense exactly what she was feeling, trying to reach definitive conclusions. "I think," she started, with the most open expression she could muster, "that it is very important to be honest. I think you'll find that you're hesitating for no reason."

They were silent for long moments after that, broken only by the soft splashing of water when one of them shifted slightly. Aeris could not take the silence, she was afraid that she might have offended Tifa, though she could not sense any animosity coming from the darker haired woman. She sighed inwardly, hoping with all her heart that Tifa would find her strength.

***

Dinner was an excitable affair that night. Avalanche had been seated in a private room that connected to an empty porch which overlooked a small courtyard. The room was equipped with extremely shiny, low tables and a small pile of poufs on each side. Dimly lit with warm, paper-covered lamps, they could see that night had fully encroached and a splendid full moon hung heavy and pale in the sky. Returning from the baths to find that all their clothes had been swept away to be laundered, they donned the thin white robes, now covered by heavier blue ones, tied in the middle with thin sashes.

The second they had all comfortably seated themselves around the tiny tables, attendants brought out tray after tray of exotic food. Jewel-toned supremed fruit sections, tenderly charred bits of meat on wooden skewers, vegetables both raw and cooked, golden brown meats, rich sauces, and a wickedly strong alcohol that was devoid of any scent graced the table in a welcomed gesture. They partook ravenously at the food, eating whatever they could reach. Having skipped all meals since yesterday afternoon, all of them were thoroughly starved. Cid, his face flushed from the liquor, was too hungry and drunk to worry about the slices of raw fish he'd been devouring, one after the other. He was laughing wildly at Barret, who had underestimated a frighteningly scarlet chili sauce and was now tearing up under his dark eyelids, gripping the table's edge in pain. Tifa, who after a brief glance at Aeris, had timidly claimed the satin pouf next to Cloud was grinning with delight now, as they both discussed what they had and hadn't yet tried, making suggestions to each other through their foggy drunkenness. Vincent, though certainly as hungry as the rest of them, seemed to eat much slower and more cautiously, occasionally speaking with Red, who was thrilled to be accepted so nonchalantly at the table. The only sign of alcohol in Vincent, Cid remarked with a boozy belch after Barret had quenched the heat of the peppery sauce with more alcohol, was that his icy-pale cheeks held a pink tinge and that his eyes seemed far less focused and predatory. Vincent had rolled his eyes and suggested that Cid have another drink. The pilot, far too drunk to resist distraction, was easily diverted to attempting to pour himself more without causing a miniature tidal wave to slosh over the table.

When finally they could eat no more (some hours later), the attendants returned to lead them to their sleeping quarters. Tifa, with a silent, terrified look at Aeris, nodded stiffly to her. "You go on ahead," she said forcefully, her nervousness chasing away the comfortable carelessness of the liquor, "I need to talk to Cloud for a second."

Cloud looked up hesitantly with a strange expression that Tifa couldn't read properly. Was it shyness? Oh god, she hoped so. Aeris' eyes widened with understanding and nodded in return. "Sure thing," she said, with an excited warble to her voice. "See you later." She waved and the rest of the group stumbled out after the attendants.

Tifa waved her hand towards the porch, "You don't mind if we go outside, do you?" she asked, fighting the butterflies battering the insides of her stomach like enraged bulls.

"No," Cloud replied, still looking confused and slightly nervous at her request.

She opened the porch door and stepped out onto the creaking wooden structure. To her momentary delight, she saw a short set of steps that led into the courtyard's ornamental garden. A plum tree was in full, spectacular bloom, its delicate white blossoms aglow with moonlight. She could hear Cloud following her softly, and suddenly felt resigned determination. She turned to watch him join her, his cerulean eyes emitting their own soft, alien illumination. She smiled grimly at his approach; this wasn't going to be easy. "I…" she faltered immediately, still forcing herself to look at him, "I thought hard about what I was going to say, but I can't seem to fight back the instinct to run and hide."

He didn't reply, his eyes flickered up to the plum tree and he waited for her to continue. She followed his gaze, simultaneously happy for a distraction and flamingly ashamed of her weakness. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he trailed off, his voice sounded husky, but it could've been the alcohol. "We didn't have trees like this in Nibelheim."

"Okay," her hands were shaking and her voice held a pathetic quaver, "I'm just going to come out and say it." He turned to her, his face expectant, but at the same time still harboring that unreadable expression. She was beginning to wish she hadn't eaten quite so much, her stomach felt like it was being tied into a knot. "Aeris would be able to just say it…" she muttered under her uneven breath.

"What is it?" He prompted after a pause; his voice was gentle, and it made her weak in the knees.

She wrung her hands together, looking back up at the tree. "Cloud," she loved the way his name rolled off her tongue, but she was too busy feeling sick with worry and embarrassment to notice this time, "Sometimes it's hard… being old friends… I mean, one wrong move and you put everything you cherish at risk…"

He nodded, trying to appear nonchalant, and leaned up against the step railing. "Yeah." His single word drowned out the creak of protest the thin plank made at his weight.

Tifa took an imperceptibly deep breath to steady herself and gracefully approached him. She stopped only a few inches in front, trying to let the way he looked now awaken some hidden reserve of bravery. She reminded herself, thinking in a scream, that he was everything to her- his silent strength and even his shaky self-confidence were both ends of the spectrum of personality and she loved everything it held, both the good and the bad. He was looking back to the plum tree again; his eyes radiating their light in a way that would always, no matter what happened tonight, enchant her.

His humored expression melted into something that looked remarkably like uncomfortable fear when he noticed just how close she was to him. She was nearly as tall as he was; her face was level with his, their noses only about a foot apart. "Cloud?"

"Yeah?" he gulped; they were both whispering, easily drowned out by the rustling of the plum tree's opalescent flowers.

Her face moved closer, and he leaned back into the railing, his palms resting on it to support him. "I…" her sentence died as she leaned into him, her mouth open just slightly, her jagged breathing all the more pronounced. He couldn't believe what she looked like she was about to do, just like she couldn't believe she was about to do it. She slowly, deliberately, brought her hands, delicate now, without her fighting gloves, to rest on the front of his shoulders as she leaned in to close the distance. He had stopped breathing as a wave of fiery heat sped from his cheeks all the way to his bare feet - her smooth, pale face one beautiful blur, too close to be properly in focus.

A loud splintering noise scared them both and Cloud staggered sideways as the railing he had been so desperately leaning on snapped under his weight. He whipped around just in time to see Tifa, her face a flaming crimson, hastily open the door back into the palace and nearly sprint out of sight. Something leaden in his feet prevented him from chasing her; he pretended that he had only imagined the tears streaking down her face.

She walked as fast as she could without actually running back to the room where she and Aeris would be sleeping. Wiping her face hastily, she burst inside and desperately made for the fluffy futon that was waiting for her in the corner of the room. Aeris looked up from where she had been brushing her long, chestnut hair. "How did it go?" she asked, her tone was excited at first but then fell disappointedly when she saw the look on Tifa's face.

Tifa looked at her, her mouth open wordlessly for a moment. And then, she told her everything.

***

They awoke next morning to yet more attendants. They barged into the girls' sleeping quarters bustling about, tidying up and bringing some mysterious object with them called a _hanfu_. Tifa and Aeris were bewildered when one of the young attendants demanded which color they preferred for their individual _hanfus_. A _hanfu_, it turned out, was a beautiful silk robe. Much more ornate and formal looking than the robes the had donned at dinner, the _hanfu_ was made of shining silk in colors that put all the jewelry Tifa had ever seen to shame. "Because the ritual is so very formal," one of the young girls said, busily unfolding and laying out a magnificent amber robe, "you will need to look your very best."

Tifa needed some help getting the whole thing on right, the younger lady helping her hold the front closed while a wide band of lovely chocolate fabric was cinched around her waist with a thick ribbon of the deep orange hue as the rest of the garment. The sleeves were oversized and elegant, the chocolate fabric reappearing on the hems of the sleeves and the bottom of the robe itself. The most delicate silk slippers Tifa had ever seen were presented to her, and she privately hoped her big feet would fit inside. To her relief they did, and she was all the happier for it, having banished the embarrassing memory of her near-confession to Cloud with the help of Aeris' comforting yet still encouraging words. Besides, she reminded herself, she could always blame it on the booze.

When Aeris had appeared from behind the folding screen Tifa had used, the martial artist could not repress a sudden pang of envy. A soft, bright green _hanfu_ graced her petite form, bringing out the glittering emerald eyes that so graced her lovely face. The contrasting fabric at her waist and hems was adorned with a busy floral pattern, the tiny yellow centers of the flowers not competing at all with the deep green. Her brain noted, without her permission, the way that Aeris didn't seem to worry whether or not her feet fit into the tiny slippers. Tifa, freakishly contented despite the fiasco of the near-confession and her mild but sudden envy of Aeris, pulled her hair into a low ponytail at the base of her neck for the occasion. Aeris complimented the change, and decided to leave her own softly-curling hair uninhibited by her usual pink ribbon since it clashed horribly with the _hanfu_.

They were led back to the throne room, but it was devoid save for a few ceremonial guards dressed in brown and gold finery for Yuffie's ritual. They stood at attention as the women passed and one stepped rigidly forward to hold open a curtain at the back of the long room. Behind the throne was a wide alcove, with flooring that seemed to be made out of weaved reeds or thrushes. The room had no furniture in it, although seven red cushions were lined along the far wall. The lack of décor and furniture made the alcove seem very large, and it reminded Tifa of a dojo. There was one single, circular window that took up a huge amount of space on the wall above the cushions, letting in a beam of gilded morning sunlight. The ladies had left, the silent guard bowing them to the cushions along the wall. Aeris and Tifa were unsure if this was part of the actual ritual, so they did not speak as they settled themselves.

A noise sounded from beyond the throne as Cloud and the other men were led in by attendants of their own. _Hanfus_ were apparently unisex, it seemed, as the rest Avalanche donned them as well. Aeris couldn't wipe the broad grin off her face. It seemed silly that a simple wardrobe change should be so very interesting but she couldn't help but feel like some character in an exotic storybook. Barret and Cid both looked uncomfortable in their robes; Cid's dark blue _hanfu_ bore geometrical shapes that reminded the young Cetra of pinwheels while Barret's cream-colored one had large red and orange leaves. She waved at them as they came to sit. Red padded silently behind them and Aeris couldn't resist asking him why he didn't have a pretty robe of his own. Seeing the lighthearted humor in her question, he was not offended, though he did point out that he _was_ looking his best since he had time to thoroughly groom himself both before and after dinner.

Cloud and Vincent came up last and it was hard to tell which one looked better in their strange new garb. Vincent wore a solid gray _hanfu_, with a deep smoky trim but he seemed like a totally new person without the collar of his usual cape covering half his face and hiding his thin frame. His hair had been pulled back into a ponytail with his usual red bandana; a few wisps of raven hair falling into his pale face. For once he seemed rested because the usual purple shadows that hung under his still somewhat frightening eyes were much less pronounced; though Aeris suspected that perhaps the coloring of his robe had something to do with it. She smiled warmly at him; he nodded in response but did not return her happy expression, sitting on Tifa's far side.

Tifa felt her face ignite when she saw Cloud turn from thanking the attendants and making his way towards the rest of the group. Trying not to let her sudden wild embarrassment show on her face, she smiled forcefully at him as he passed in what she hoped was an apologetic sort of way. She did want him to know that last night had been a stupid mistake on her part, after all. She peered sideways at him from under her lashes, trying to seem as though she wasn't staring at him at all. He was unarguably beautiful in a purple _hanfu_ that was so dark it looked almost black. The fabric seemed like a solid color but when it hit the light, a softly swirling pattern had been deftly embroidered into the material. The contrasting hems of his overlarge sleeves were patterned with forget-me-nots and their intertwining black stems. He smiled crookedly at her, looking nearly boyish as his face flushed slightly as he caught her looking at him.

She, blessedly, didn't have to sit there and think about his unnatural radiant handsomeness for long, though. The doors flung open again and Yuffie walked in, moving in an imperious walk that was much unlike her usual loping gait. If Avalanche thought the _hanfus_ were exotic, it was nothing on the clothes that the young ninja was clad in. She wore an elaborate and highly ornate warrior's costume, embellished with clinking gold. Her bare feet were wrapped up the middle with white strips of fabric that continued up past her ankles, much in the fashion a kick-boxer would. Baggy silk pants of deepest red were gathered just under her knees, and a golden belt hung from her slim waist, with a long strip of intricately patterned golden fabric hanging from under the buckle to her knees. Two fat strips of read and black silk formed an impromptu brassiere clamped in the middle with a circular gold medallion. Her hands bore the same strips of white fabric and as gold and black headband kept her bangs out of her dark eyes.

She progressed up to the red cushions where her friends sat and bowed low to them. In one fluid movement, she straightened out and faced the end of the long throne room. The guards all bowed as Godo, Chekhov, and several other members of the court came striding slowly up to the dojo. Godo spoke slowly and purposefully in Wutaian, holding up his arms for emphasis. Yuffie's eyes squeezed shut as she took an obviously deep breath to calm her nerves. "Esteemed guests the Cardinal Warrior rite is about to commence. The victor is decided by knock-out or submission," Godo addressed Avalanche in the common dialect, "The first challenge: the Northern Warrior. Gorki."

A girl even younger than Yuffie stepped into the center of the room. Cloud immediately recognized her as one of the dinner attendants from last night. Gorki kneeled in front of Yuffie then stood, falling into some sort of karate stance. The deep roll of a bell sounded from the end of the throne room and the two girls shot towards each other like bullets. Gorki launched into a barrage of punches as Yuffie hastily performed a somersault to the side to avoid getting hit. Yuffie's bare foot shot out and caught the other in the ankle, sending her to the ground.

Gorki was on her feet again as Yuffie closed the gap to finish the fight. The younger girl threw a straight punch that would have loosened teeth had it hit its mark. Yuffie did a diving roll and, leaping to her feet, grabbed Gorki from behind. With her right forearm braced against the back of Gorki's head and her left arm pinning the younger's Yuffie had little difficulty in winning the match. After several long seconds of the painful hold, Gorki made a small wave with her free hand and the bell sounded again from the other end of the hall.

Yuffie released Gorki. They both bowed to each other and to Avalanche. Godo was speaking in Wutaian again, clapping at his daughter's victory. "Princess Kisaragi's next challenge: the Southern Warrior, Shake," he said so Avalanche could understand.

"Shake?" Yuffie repeated, bewildered.

A handsome boy Yuffie's age sauntered onto the arena floor. "Your Highness," he said mockingly, bowing elegantly to her. "I hope your fighting skills are as big as your mouth."

Yuffie's eyes flashed but she held her tongue and bowed stiffly to him. The bell sounded and the combatants clashed. Shake was hugely faster than Yuffie, Cloud noted interestedly, as the young ninja was one of the fastest fighters he'd ever seen. Shake darted this way and that, feinting lunges and grabs at a confusingly fast rate. Yuffie was playing cautious, trying to find patterns as she stayed just far enough out of his reach to get hit. Shake ducked then, and his lure had worked. Yuffie kicked out, but Shake sprung into the air like some kind of beast, kicking out with his own foot. Yuffie fell, clutching at her chest and gasping for breath. Cloud found himself watching raptly, his own battle instincts providing a running commentary for him. Busy thinking about his own strategy had he been in Yuffie's place, he observed as she pulled herself to her feet and glared at Shake. He hoped it was merely his instincts from SOLDIER, but he had the sudden craving to fight Shake himself, just to see how he would fare. Stifling the sudden battle lust, he tried to pay closer attention to Yuffie's fight now that she seemed ready to resume. The teenaged girl charged forward with a shout, her fists clenched. Cloud knew what was going to happen before it did- as soon as Shake adjusted his feet. Yuffie was feinting a feint, Cloud nearly grinned. Shake didn't move out of the way, expecting her to roll to the side for a quick attack, and was met with a tightly balled fist connecting to his cheek in an explosion of pain. Shake went down, clutching his face and groaning in agony.

The bell sounded again, and Yuffie couldn't repress pumping one of her fists into the air in triumph. Godo and Avalanche clapped politely before the next warrior was announced. Yuffie tried to let her victorious emotions get the best of her, she still had two more warriors to defeat and they were only going to get harder. "The third challenge," Godo announced, a small grin playing at his lips, "the Western Warrior, Chekhov."

Looking annoyed, her pointed features tight, Chekhov glided in front of Yuffie and gave her a sweeping bow. "My lady," she voiced simply, and stood straight.

"I have to fight _you_?" Yuffie asked, her face displeased.

"Indeed." And she flew forward like great bird of prey.

Yuffie was not expecting such a sudden attack and didn't move quickly enough. Chekhov grabbed the girl's wrist with an iron grip and jerked her towards the palm strike aimed at her face. It connected; Yuffie was on the ground again, gasping for breath. Avalanche gasped at the hit, for it had looked extremely painful. The ninja pulled herself to her feet, holding a palm over her left eye. Chekhov was already swooping in for a second palm strike. Yuffie recoiled clumsily as she saw, far too late, and was punished with another connected hit. She cried out and stumbled backwards, her nose spilling blood down her face. Forced to move or get pummeled into submission, Yuffie flew into a reluctant offensive, throwing hit after hit. Chekhov blocked every hit with her arms and feet, deflecting each hit in turn; her robes rippled with each movement rather as though she was dancing underwater instead of protecting herself from the onslaught.

The tide suddenly changed and Chekhov began throwing hits back at Yuffie, regaining ground she had given up during defense. Yuffie threw up her arms and blocked her face and was rewarded with a sharp kick in the knee, she stumbled but didn't fall. She stepped backwards as the older woman pressed her advantage. Yuffie was forced to block each individual hit, pulling her arms away from her face to protect her exposed torso. She seemed wary of being hit in the face, but had no choice as Chekhov sped up her offense. Yuffie knew that she was fighting a losing battle if she didn't do something fast; she'd have to play to her strengths. She dropped and catapulted herself into the air, leaning into a back flip. With a sickening _thwack_, the top of her bare foot connected with Chekhov's lined jaw. This time, Chekhov went down in a heap of magenta silk. Yuffie's momentum carried her into several expert handsprings. Turning, she sprinted as fast as she could at Chekhov's recovering form. The severe look on the older attendant's face intensified and she stood to meet the next attack. Yuffie was running so fast she couldn't have stopped if she tried. Several feet from her opponent, the ninja flew into another handspring and launched over Chekhov's surprised face. The instant Yuffie's feet hit the floor she ducked, avoiding the elbow that came spinning around to where her nose would have been and dove into the small of Chekhov's back. Back on the ground, Yuffie had to use every ounce of weight to try and pin the lady chamberlain to the floor, interlocking their arms and trying to keep leverage with her legs. The gong at the other end of the chamber sounded three times in slow succession, and after the final toll, Chekhov had lost.

Yuffie rolled onto the woven floor, panting with exertion and still trying to staunch the copious amounts of blood pouring out of her nose. Avalanche clapped heartily, as Godo and even Chekhov did on the other end of the alcove. Godo congratulated Yuffie and announced the fourth and final fight. "The Eastern Warrior, Stantiv."

A hulking man came striding out of the hall and bowed low to Yuffie, and they clashed with no preamble. Built along the same lines as Barret, Stantiv was ponderously slow and Yuffie, with speed being her greatest asset, had no trouble doing to him what Shake had done to her. She simply danced around him, throwing punches where she could or else tripping him to wear him out. She was getting cocky. As the last warrior, she had expected something much tougher. Now, as long as she didn't get hit, she had victory in the bag. When Stantiv finally went down after a particularly well placed kick to the temple, she nearly screamed in victory. Her father _had_ to accept her as a warrior now; he wouldn't be able to crow about her getting married or forbid her from leaving. The court and her companions clapped for her as she panted from the grueling task. She stood tall, feeling her ego swell with the knowledge of her victory.

Godo said nothing in Wutaian when next he spoke. He inclined his head in acknowledgement of his daughter's performance. "And now, the final challenge: me."

Yuffie's wide grin was still plastered stupidly across her face when she turned to look at her father approaching the arena. Her eyes plainly showed confusion and disbelief but her slackening grin was mirrored in Godo's taut face. He stood tall in front of her, stroking his moustache, "Good luck, daughter."

"Wha-?"

He launched at her in a blur of violet finery, his fists lashing out with speed equal to her own. She suffered the first few but was able to regain most of her surprise by the third or fourth jab. Blocking quickly, she started falling back. Not wasting any time, she went into a series of acrobatics that sent her flipping around and back over Godo's tall frame. She jumped at him in a tackle but he sent her flying with a graceful turn of his arm. They were both nearly too fast to watch- Yuffie was one crimson and golden blur while Godo's violet robes whirled and obscured his movements.

It dragged on minute after endless minute. New cuts and bruises were appearing as though by magic on any and all exposed skin. After nearly five agonizing minutes of this, Yuffie's arms and legs felt like lead and a painful stitch in her side was clamoring for attention over all the other pains in her body. She noted, with distant satisfaction, that Godo seemed to be panting for breath himself. She pushed herself, knowing that she had to prove that her youth was her strength. She flung herself at him clumsily, hitting every inch of him she could. He groaned under the flurry of punches but refused to submit. He retaliated with a sweeping kick. He tried to leap to his feet but settled for rolling on his side and doggedly pulling himself up into a kneeling position. A few feet away, Yuffie was also struggling to get to her shaking and exhausted feet. She stumbled back to him and managed to connect a few more shots. Falling to her own knees, she lunged forward and grabbed Godo in a headlock, straightened her legs, and pinned him awkwardly on his side, effectively negating any leverage he could hope to gain with his stronger legs.

The gong rang three times, each separated by its own miniature eternity. She had won. _She had won!_ It was almost too much. She rolled onto her back, too exhausted to say anything arrogant to her old man, who lay panting face down several feet away. She closed her eyes, wanting nothing more to sleep off her aches and pains, even if it meant passing out right on the floor.

***

Godo's men had repaired the Tiny Bronco, though he strongly advised waiting until the cover of darkness to take flight. Cid warned that the Bronco was not outfitted for long distances, and that they would need to fuel up somewhere. This, in turn, had brought up the discussion of where there destination actually lay. Godo had conviently called upon a well known scholar in the area to ask about ruins possibly located in the southern hemisphere near an inland lake. The scholar had unfurled many scrolls and had dusted off many old tomes. Inside one, he was pleased to report; he had found a picture of a temple that had been once used as a religious site by a group of Cetra that had settled an isle to the south of Mideel. Aeris, having seen the temple in her dream, positively identified it as the structure they were looking for. Cid, on a scrap of old parchment, drew out a rough course. He wanted the quickest possible route and only wanted to fly by night, thereby avoiding unwanted attention. His current plan was to leave that night after sunset and fly to the harbor a few miles away from the Gold Saucer. Dio would be able to provide them with fuel, Cloud asserted, and Cid decided that they would sleep there during the day and continue south during the night.

With time to kill before sundown, the afternoon was full of celebration in Yuffie's honor. Godo held an extravagant banquet in a huge and ornate dining hall. Musicians were brought in an hour or so after they had started eating and were busy plucking away at a lively, bouncing melody. Yuffie, in a violently pink _hanfu_ and crowned in a gold circlet, clapped in time with the music as the others watched interestedly. Aeris, with a huge smile, stood up and hurried to where Cloud sat nursing a glass of the same alcohol he had last night. He couldn't help the smile that split his face as she came near, holding up the hem of her robe slightly. She didn't say anything but grabbed his hands and started to pull him up. The rest of them chuckled as he stood and let Aeris lead him to the end of the table, where in the open space, she held out the side of her robe as though it was a ball gown and began to pull him into a lively dance. She was rather good, he realized through his embarrassment, her feet were quick and light as she cantered around in a wide circle, leading him along. The others began to clap along, laughing at Cloud's clumsy foot work. The musicians caught on and were so happy that their music was enjoyed that the quality of the tune seemed to heighten. She led him to and fro through the empty space as he struggled to predict where her feet would go next. The song ended with a fanfare and so did the dance. Aeris mock curtsied to the table and returned to her seat while Cloud, a little red in the face, shyly returned to his own.


	28. Empty Halls

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Empty Halls

It was no wonder one of humankind's greatest fantasies was that of flight. As the Tiny Bronco flew through the night sky, Aeris could not help but feel humbled at the amazing feeling. The engine droned on softly as they made their way above the thin gray clouds under the open starlit sky. Miles of empty, black ocean slipped silently underneath them as they travelled towards their goal of the Gold Saucer. The ride had been extremely relaxed so far. Most of Avalanche seated themselves comfortably in the restored bench seats, though two of the members were stretched across the floor- for two very different reasons. Red was curled into a tight ball in the open space of the fuselage, while Yuffie, whose motion sickness had reared its ugly head, was wrapped in a sleeping bag and pressed against the metal wall, groaning whenever the plane dipped a few feet. The cool night air had permeated the cabin, keeping it a very pleasant temperature inside, helping its occupants retain their comfortable state.

When, at long last, dawn began to peer over the horizon in a glorious peachy blush, Cid began the final descent. Having used a PHS to phone ahead, Dio was well aware of their arrival and had sent a concierge to meet them the moment they arrived in the park. "Mr. Dio has informed me of your situation," the man said courteously as they arrived off the ropeway train, "Your rooms are this way." Nodding politely, he led them to a very quiet hallway of one of the resort towers and distributed the keys. They nodded off to sleep peacefully, knowing that their journey would only get more rigorous when they reached the temple the following dawn.

Cloud awoke to a light rapping on his door sometime later. His room was unequipped with a window which left him disoriented to the time until he glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It was early evening; an hour or so before nightfall. He hastily pulled his shirt back on, ruffling his maniacal hair further in the process, and went to answer the door. It was Aeris. She beckoned him out into the hallway where he gave her a questioning look. "Were you asleep? I wanted to go get some dinner, but Tifa and Yuffie are still out of it. You feel like it?"

He stifled a yawn though his stomach seemed to grumble awake at the mention of food. "Yeah, sure," he agreed, and started down the hall with her.

"Well," she started after a quiet moment, "I owe you a date, so let's go somewhere a little nice." She smiled sweetly up at him though a slight blush crept across her cheeks.

He felt his face burn red and turned away, embarrassed, never having had the self assurance to play it cool. Aeris laughed melodiously at his sheepish reaction and reached for his arm, linking her own through it. She led him to a café where they were seated on a balcony overlooking some of the many exciting rides the amusement park held. They ate in relative silence until Aeris was able to coax small talk out of Cloud, after which they began talking about a variety of lighthearted and amusingly insignificant topics. Aeris ordered the restaurant's signature dessert, a towering mound of liquored fruit with clouds of fluffy cream, and offered to share it with her slightly stoic dinner date. She held the spoon out to him insistently and they found themselves working together to devour the treat. Aeris sighed while Cloud, having paid their bill, held the café door open for her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned at her sudden change in demeanor.

She smiled, looking askance at the floor, "I'd like to spend some more time together. You don't mind, do you?"

He glanced out the verandah to the setting sun. He knew that they needed to get a move on, but what were a few more minutes with Aeris? He agreed, but mentioned their time was short. She seemed happier for it, though, and she beamed at him. Linking their arms again, she strolled along into the heart of the park. Most of the rides had ungodly wait times, proclaimed at each by a small sign over the mouth of the queue. Cloud didn't really feel like trying to tackle some of the insane roller coasters housed here just after eating and Aeris seemed to wordlessly agree with his sentiments. They found an alternative when they came across a slow-moving gondola ride that would take them outside and around the park. Aeris grinned at him, her face alight with cheerful warmth and Cloud, once again, found that he had no ability to refuse; he smiled back, amused and appreciative of her contagious mood.

They waited for twenty long minutes in the line, reverting once again to lighthearted conversation. When finally they climbed into their own gondola the sun had set and Cloud hoped the others weren't all standing around waiting for he and his companion to return. They sat across from each other and looked with mild interest out the window. He caught himself unable to look away from her as she peered interestedly out the window, watching her expression as a grin grew steadily larger across her face. The car moved along its track, swaying very softly, and rolled out into the night. Aeris let out a longing sigh of delight at the scenery. The sun had fully set and the pink sky was glowing off the golden metallic structure of the amusement park. The night time lighting had just been turned on, and the neon pink and baby blue lights danced underneath them. "Its beautiful!" she said in happy awe, flashing an equally beautiful smile at him. Her smile slackened as she looked back out the window. She laughed very quietly as she finally turned around to look back at Cloud, her thoughts weighing heavily on her heart. "Hey, Cloud?" she asked, sounding uncharacteristically hesitant.

"Yeah?"

"When I first met you," she began suddenly, her voice much flatter than its usual melodic pitch, "it always bothered me how much you looked like him. How could two different people look so much alike? But it wasn't your faces… it was your very physicality. You walked the same, had the very same gestures- the way you put your hand on your hip and they way you run your hand through your hair." Her hands moved to emphasize her words, the great golden bangles on her slim wrists catching the light as they moved; he was caught off guard and couldn't reply. "I- I thought maybe I was just seeing a little of him in you," she muttered sadly, her eyes falling, "but everything's different now. _You're_ different."

"I-" he stopped, somehow alarmed at how she had nearly rambled at him and the depressed note in her voice. He had never heard her sound like that. "What are you talking about?"

"I see him so plainly in you, but it seems so forced sometimes. So forced, in fact, that I know with absolute certainty that it isn't a mere coincidence." She held his gaze, forging eye contact and seizing it. "I'm searching for you, Cloud."

"I'm right here," he sputtered stupidly, the first response to come to mind.

"Someday," she said, with measured wariness, "I'll meet the real you."

A sudden explosion sounded so close that Cloud found himself groping for his sword (which he hadn't even brought with him) in a blind panic. A second later realization struck and they watched as fireworks blossomed spectacularly around them in gilded candy colors of blue, pink, and purple. It was deafening, but so close and so whimsically ethereal that neither could look away until the gondola slipped quietly back into the landing platform. They disembarked and stood clear of the pedestrian traffic debarking behind them. "Aeris," Cloud said softly, pulling her gently aside, "what did you-"

The PHS in his front pocket suddenly chirped to life, cutting him off. He dug in his pants pocket and pulled the small device out to his ear. "Hello?"

It was Tifa on the other end. Her voice was strained, struggling to keep the quaver of panic out of it. "Cloud, you'd better get back here, we've got a situation." He could hear Barret's voice swearing in angry hysterics behind her.

Alarmed at the sudden chaos, he snapped the phone shut after affirming his return and, leading Aeris by the hand, broke into a run. She stumbled after him, his Mako-induced speed too much for her all too human legs. They ignored the annoyed and curious looks of passersby as they made for the park exit and the elevators that would take them up to the resort wing. As they sprinted out of the elevator on their assigned floor, Barret's voice came down the hallway in an enraged ramble.

"-Kill him!" he was shouting, and his anger definitely had an edge of desperation to it. He could vaguely hear the muffled voices of the others but their own volume was much less than their companion's.

Cloud banged demandingly on the room door and hurried footsteps rushed towards them. The door opened to reveal Tifa's anxious face, her amber eyes over bright. "Oh god, I don't know-" she trailed off as Cloud and Aeris stepped over the threshold.

It looked as though civil war had broken out amongst their tiny group. Vincent and Cid were holding back Barret, who looked so angry he appeared deranged. Yuffie and Red were in the corner in front of… It was the robot moogle and cat they had encountered the last time they had passed through the park. Cait Sith.

Cait Sith was trying to speak, but his squeaky voice was utterly drowned out by Barret's bellowing. Vincent and Cid struggled against him trying to keep him from the mechanical mascot. "Barret!" Cloud barked, rushing into the fray, "What the hell's going on?"

"That motherfucker's got Marlene!" he roared, looking like a rabid animal. His dark eyes were nearly popping out of his head and his mouth was pulled taut against his gritted teeth.

"What, him?" Cloud asked stupidly, pointing at the robot. None of this was making any sense.

"If you'd just let me finish," Cait Sith was saying, trying to be heard over the din, "I'd be happy to explain!"

"Barret, calm down a minute!" Cloud ordered, surprised at the ferocity in which Barret struggled against the two companions trying to hold him down. Then he turned to the cat sitting on the pinkish moogle expectantly.

"I knew this was going to happen," he said with theatrical sadness, "I really do feel bad about the whole thing." When he was only answered with acidic looks from Avalanche, he continued hastily. "I'm from the ShinRa and I'm afraid I've got to hold you up here for a while." Cloud found himself gritting his own teeth. They had such a great lead… now worthless because Rufus had managed to outwit them. "I'm really not one for hostages and all that, but I just needed some insurance that you'd cooperate without a fight. I'm not very good at fighting."

A click sounded from somewhere in the body of the moogle answered by white noise and suddenly a little girl's voice, muffled and distorted by the transmission. "He can really hear me through this? Daddy? Daddy, are you there?"

Barret let out a pained grunt like a wounded animal and nearly succeeded in shaking off Vincent and Cid. "You fuckin' shithead!" he screamed, "I'll kill you with my bare hands!"

"I've been trying to explain," Cait Sith replied exasperated, "I'm just a machine. It won't be worth your effort to destroy me; I could always just send another. Look, I can guarantee that Marlene will be fine as long as you just listen to me. Like I said, hostages really aren't my thing, but I was getting desperate."

"What are the demands," Cloud snarled, unable to bring himself to look at the thing. He found Cait Sith's ridiculous cute appearance to add an unbearable insult to injury, as though it was designed specifically to embarrass them further.

Cait Sith seemed very pleased that at least Cloud had shown some altruistic leadership. "Just hang out until tomorrow afternoon, and then we'll all head to the Temple of the Ancients."

"We have to take you with us?" Cloud growled in a low voice.

"Yup," the cat nodded, "Tseng and the rest of the Turks are on their way now. You'll just get there after they do, no big deal." He was quiet for a long moment trying to gauge their reactions. Cloud was positively seething and Barret seemed to quiet with defeat.

Cloud closed his eyes against the pounding in his right temple. "Just…" he waved his hand impatiently, "get out."

Cait Sith nodded knowingly. "Sure thing. See you guys in the morning." He waddled out the door, letting it fall shut behind him.

Cloud had never felt the burden of leadership quite as much as he felt that moment. Barret slumped to the ground, his hand clamped across his eyes and his face contorted in an ugly, pained grimace. Vincent and Cid helped him to the ground, fearful he might be on the verge of an exhausted faint. They had, for nearly three days now, had been following such a good plan that Cloud hadn't thought of the ShinRa getting in their way again since his deal with Rude. He felt foolish now, reminded that their every decision could be the one that dooms them. It seemed reckless and hopelessly optimistic to think that they would make it to the Temple unhindered when Rufus had an entire air force at his disposal. He frowned a little deeper as he surveyed his teammates. What would happen if it came down to sacrificing Marlene to escape execution or imprisonment? Barret would surely act to save his daughter no matter what… could Rufus be sadistic enough to force Barret to wipe out his comrades for his daughter's life? Cloud repressed a shudder. They were in a _bad_ situation. He could see no way out; Cloud didn't think he could wittingly sacrifice his companion's little girl, though the thought of it costing him his vengeance on Sephiroth angered him more than it possibly costing his life. He glanced at Barret, who was breathing heavily through his nose, his dark chest heaving under the thin white undershirt that was stretched across his huge torso.

"Calm down, Barret," Cloud muttered, forcibly reminded of the last time Barret had broken down, outside Sector Seven, and how painful it had been to watch him cry. "We'll do what he wants."

"Now that he has a hostage," Red spoke up finally, looking uncharacteristically worried, "the ShinRa can force us into whatever they want. I'm surprised that he hasn't simply forced us to turn ourselves in. With Barret's daughter in custody, we wouldn't even be able to attempt escape."

"I don't think Rufus knows." They all turned to see Aeris, leaning against one of the beds, looking distant and deep in thought.

Tifa uncrossed her arms impatiently. "What doesn't Rufus know?"

"Well its like Red says, isn't it?" Aeris continued, "They could just force us to surrender, but Cait Sith only wants to hold us up. I think that Rufus doesn't know that Cait Sith, or whoever controls it, has Marlene. Otherwise, we'd all be lined up for experiments and executions in Midgar, don't you think?"

They looked at each other meaningfully. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut, the headache beating against his skull. "We need to find something in that temple," he started, his voice forced, "I believe Aeris when she said the Planet was warning her. We'll still look; maybe the Turks won't be able to comb the whole structure in one night or maybe… I dunno, we could cause a cave in on them or something. We'll keep Cait Sith with us and- if we're lucky- maybe we'll find some kind of leverage or something to bargain Marlene's safety with."

***

The whispering was growing more and more urgent with every step she took. Leading her teammates through the dense and humid jungles, she strained to hear the Planet muttering worriedly under her feet. She kept up a brisk pace and though she didn't dare complain, her calves were burning and the sticky droplets of sweat trailing down her face and neck were nearly maddening in the nearly tangible humid heat of the jungle floor. The others behind her were equally uncomfortable, both Barret and Cid had rid themselves of their outer layers of clothing and had stripped to identical dingy undershirts marred with identical wet sweat stains. She tried not to look at Cait Sith, bounding along behind them. She had half hoped, and the expression was mirrored in every face she looked at, that he would somehow get left behind in the race to the temple. When she could sense the lightening of the trees up ahead, she doubled her pace. A breeze was wending its way towards them from the massive clearing they suddenly broke into.

Cloud took the sight in appreciatively. A tiny part of him, clinging to logic, had warned that the whole thing could have been a wild goose chase. But there it sat- the golden ruins of a once splendid and stately temple, blemished by jungle vines. A thin rope and plank bridge was stretched across a small river running in front of the building. Turning back to his teammates and the ShinRa minion, he motioned them forward.

Aeris bolted ahead of them, holding her hands to her ears as though she was straining to hear a faint noise. She waved a hand at her companions for silence and actually lay across the ground near the bridge. They watched her expectantly, vaguely understanding what was happening. Expressions of mild confusion and disbelief were only present on the faces of Vincent and Cid, who had yet to witness Aeris' mystic powers in action.

"Yes," she was murmuring, screwing up her face in concentration, "yes, I know this is the Temple of the Cetra. I can hear all of you saying it… What? You could have become one with the Planet but you won't? By sheer force of will? But why?" Cid made to say something but Tifa punched him lightly on the shoulder to shut him up. Aeris was still muttering, concentrating very hard on hearing the voices only she could perceive. "You were waiting for me? To protect? To protect what? What's Black Materia? I don't understand… Yes, I was going inside with my friends."

She stood up suddenly, brushing dirt off of her pink skirt. "We have to go in, someone's alive inside."

"That'd be the Turks," Cait Sith piped up from the rear of the group.

They ignored him and ran after Aeris across the swaying bridge and up the crumbling steps. They all nearly collided when she stopped suddenly at the mouth of the entryway, gasping in fright. A man huddled in dirty black robes was lying dead in front of them. His bare, frail hand was poking out from under the folds of the material; a large solid black numeral nine was tattooed there. "Another guy in a black cape…" Cloud trailed, looking anxious.

"We have to get inside," Aeris was saying suddenly, cupping on hand to her ears again. "We can figure that out later."

There was no door to the Temple of the Ancients, but the once-grand entrance existed now as a deep hallway where empty and blackened torch brackets sat, unused for centuries, at regular intervals along the wall. The darkness was thick, broken only by a spot of flickering golden flame illuminating the chamber at the very end of the hallway. Aeris was, once again, leading the group down the corridor and while the others had their weapons ready she alone seemed at ease. Never before had she been able to so clearly hear voices of the Lifestream and while the others seemed riddled with anxiety within the old walls of the temple, Aeris felt quite at home.

At a jog, they broke the light cast by several lit torches. "It's some kind of altar room," Yuffie said softly, taking in the rune-covered podium and the columns lining the room.

"Yes, but there are no other pathways," Red replied, sounding worried.

A low groan issued from the far pillar. Knowing something was amiss, Aeris found herself striding forward to investigate. At first she saw nothing but then, in the warm glow of the firelight, she saw a hand, clad in a fingerless black glove, protruding around the column. She deduced its owner before she could round the corner and, unlike the companions, was not surprised to find Tseng propped against the sun-colored stone.

"Tseng!" several of Avalanche gasped angrily, drawing their weapons. Tseng's head lolled sideways and his coal dark eyes opened partially to examine them. A hand was clamped firmly across his midsection and the other made no move for the pistol that was undoubtedly resting in his jacket. Blood was staining his white dress shirt, exposed through the slashed remnants of his navy blue jacket.

"Stop!" Aeris commanded urgently, afraid her companions might fall upon the Turk. "He's injured, he can't fight back." Ignoring the angry, skeptical look on Barret's face, she resolutely cast a healing spell over Tseng's limp form. Tseng stirred feebly. His eyes focused, looking briefly at each of their faces in turn. "You…" he murmured, his voice slightly slurred, "thank you… Aeris."

"I couldn't leave you here to die," she responded, staring down at him.

"Probably shoulda, though," Barret sniped nastily from the rear of the group. "You'da done the world a favor, getting' ridda scumbags like him."

Aeris stood and faced him, not challengingly, but with an air of stubborn determination. "I've known Tseng my whole life and while he works for evil people, I don't believe that he is."

Tseng grunted, sitting up further against the column. "Aeris, listen," he began, wiping the trickle of blood that had crept out of mouth. "Sephiroth isn't after the Promised Land… there's something here he wants… Black Materia."

"Sephiroth's in here!?" Cloud demanded suddenly, his eyebrows contracting so far they looked like one angry blond line.

"I know," Aeris replied to Tseng, cutting across Cloud. "We're taking care of it."

Tseng moved his hand into his coat and pulled out a shimmering blue orb. "Take it, Aeris. It's the keystone to the rest of the temple… and… I'm sorry I slapped you… back in Sector Seven." His eyes shut as he gave in to exhaustion. "Stop… Sephiroth…" And he was still.

Not waiting to collaborate with the others, Aeris moved over to the altar. "This will lead us on," she told them resolutely. "Sephiroth's further in, he's looking for the Black Materia." She placed the sphere into a carved depression in the altar's rune-marked surface and she watched it expectantly. Yuffie had just let slip a derisive comment of disbelief when all the runes of the altar suddenly flared to life, shimmering with a watery blue light that mirrored the glow of the keystone. The dais on which the pedestal rested shuddered violently and suddenly began to descend, like some magic elevator, down into a pitch black pit. Most of Avalanche was already standing on the platform, though a few of them had to hastily find standing room on the small square of stone or risk being left behind. The descent was deathly silent and darkness was so thick they could see absolutely nothing. There was no rush of air to alert them to how fast they travelled nor any sign at all that their destination was rising quietly towards them.

A beam of white light suddenly cut through the smothering darkness, temporarily blinding them. When they could at last see again, Cid's bewildered swearing highlighted their situation. They were suddenly on a platform in the center of a confusingly gargantuan vine-draped labyrinth. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Cid bellowed angrily, "what the fuck is wrong with this place!?"

"It's an illusion," Aeris told him, rolling her eyes slightly. "It's meant to disorient intruders."

"Like us, you mean," Tifa muttered flatly, looking annoyed at the scenery.

Aeris stepped off the dais and moved into the maze, unperturbed. "I'm a Cetra, Tifa," she called over her shoulder. "If anyone has a right to be here, it's me."

Cloud interjected with a gesture to follow, unsheathing his sword and holding it out. "I don't like this place at all. I feel like we're being watched." Unsure of the source of his sudden paranoia, he strode after Aeris, keeping pace with her as though he expected an attack at any moment. The others started off behind them, taking in the scenery with awe and silently wondering how Aeris seemed to know exactly where she was going. "If Sephiroth's here, he'll have an easy time getting the jump on us," Cloud grumbled tersely, frowning at the tall, ivy-laden walls.

"He's further in," Aeris said, shaking her head. "The Black Materia is probably in the very heart of the temple."

"Aeris," Red asked tentatively, "what exactly is Black Materia?"

She pursed her lips together, looking down at her four-legged companion. "Something we need to protect from Sephiroth at all costs. I don't know what it does for sure, but in Sephiroth's hands the consequences will be terrible."

"How," Cloud started, looking curious, "how do you know all of this?"

Aeris flushed slightly, as she always did when her powers were brought into question. "There are spirits here who are guiding me, Cetra who died here ages ago. They refuse to join the Lifestream in order to watch over the temple and the Black Materia. They know what I am and are trying to help us get that materia first."

"Well that's convenient," remarked Cid as he started on his third cigarette of the day, inhaling deeply.

Aeris didn't reply, but continued to march down the corridors as though she had grown up in the temple and was completely familiar with every nook and cranny. She was surprised, somewhat, by her own acceptance of the leadership Cloud had relinquished to her and even more shocked that the others fell in line behind her, placing nearly blind trust into powers they didn't fully understand. She could sense Cloud's paranoia radiating off him, knowing that the thought of confronting Sephiroth both enraged and frightened him. The desire for revenge was built from the craving for justice and a simultaneous aversion that stemmed from the deepest and the most rudimentary instincts of terror. Some masochistic part of Cloud was willing to endure this paralyzing fear in order to rid himself of the source- Aeris knew that Cloud, on some level, equated the living, breathing Sephiroth with the Sephiroth of his endless nightmares and that destroying one would destroy the other. But the contents of this very temple had changed everything.

No matter her merciful instincts, Sephiroth would have to die now that he knew the secret of the temple- the ultimate destructive power. She fought the sudden surge of desperation that seemed to well up within her. While he had been their target from the very start, she had never desired his murder herself until that night in Rocket Town, when the Planet had warned her what he was up to. Getting that cataclysmic power away from his greedy reach was her only choice for the moment, knowing that while her magic was strong, it was still no match for the power of Sephiroth and Jenova combined. No, she would have to fight this battle with something other than sheer strength.


	29. The Puppet and the Master

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Master and the Puppet

Never once, in their tense and silent foray into the Temple of the Ancients, did Aeris' direction waver. She led them with determination and presence of mind deeper and deeper within the walls of the ruins. Cloud found himself both impressed and startled at the sudden change that had overcome the calmest and kindest member of the team. A kind of feverish determination took her and replaced her tender warmth with a fiery strength he had never seen from her before. She strode ahead of the rest, her step even and confident, leading them first through the labyrinth and then through a series of identical corridors that dipped steeply downwards. They met no resistance, either in the form of the remaining Turks or monsters, and continued for nearly two full hours into the very heart of the temple.

They had not passed a single window since entering the temple and the winding pathways through the structure seemed to destroy any dimensional or directional sense they might have had. The structure had not seemed so very large from the front but upon reaching their second solid hour of walking they knew that, unless they had unwittingly been travelling in tight circles, they should have reached an edge by now. The halls were dark and bare, holding no signs that they had been recently traversed by Turks or otherwise for centuries. Aeris illuminated the path ahead with a fistful of bright dancing flames that she had conjured up, their shadows distorted weirdly in the flickering light.

When they cleared the crumbling stairs they had been traversing, Aeris called a halt. "We're almost there," she told the milling group behind her. "Sephiroth is near, we'd better prepare ourselves."

Cloud nodded grimly, gripping the handle of the oversized sword and watching as his pale expression was mirrored in his companions' expressions- with the exception of Cait Sith, who continued to look vapidly cute. The crack of Tifa's knuckles was still audible over the clicking of ammunition into firearms and the sounds of Cid and Yuffie unsheathing their own weapons. Aeris gracefully inclined her head, motioning for them to continue down the hallway. Tifa shuddered convulsively for a brief second and beside her Barret squeezed his eyes shut as though to steady his nerves. They silently made their way after Aeris' lithe and unarmed form, painfully aware of every scrape their boots made and every pounding breath that raced through their lungs.

Ahead, at the end of the claustrophobic corridor, two great oaken doors were ajar. Golden orange firelight spilled through the gap and illuminated a stripe of golden floor, the layer of dust undisturbed by footprints of any kind. Without a single backwards glance or any sign of hesitance, Aeris pushed through the open doors into the room beyond. It was cavernous inside the long pillared room, outfitted with a high ceiling and brackets of glowing torches at regular intervals. Another altar stood at the far end of the room, sitting on a squat stone dais like that in the entrance. Filled with warm torch light, the new room was unnervingly welcoming and appeared to be, at least for the moment, deserted.

Pictograms and hieroglyphs adorned every available inch of wall, but their seemed to be one set running along the right wall of the oblong room that was more important than the others. The figures of the mural were much larger than in any other in the room, taking up a couple of feet in their primitive beauty. The wall was broken into even sections by embedded columns that protruded halfway out of the flat surface, effectively breaking the vast mural into separate images.

Aeris was already studying the third picture down, taking in the design carefully, her eyes sharp with concentration. Cloud could not fight his curiosity and found himself staring intently at the first. Two great circles, one a faded white and the other tinted faintly black, were superimposed over a crowd of angularly drawn humans raising their arms to the orbs. He frowned, not understanding what it could mean. Moving along, he glanced at the second one, which, he was relieved to find, was much more self-explanatory. A huge, angry red and orange circle with long red tail was hovering just above a village in flames, the tiny figures of people in obvious agony. He reached the third, noting that Aeris was already farther along the wall with the rest of Avalanche standing nervously behind them. This piece of the mural depicted what Cloud guessed was the aftermath of the destruction of the last image. A few lonely figures stood before a great black hole, in which the artist had attempted to render black smoke issuing forthwith, but had somewhat clumsily made it look very solid and oddly shaped. The fourth and final panel was disappointingly inconclusive, depicting the few figures from the previous picture accompanied by several hunched forms of monsters and animals. The white and black circles from the first mural were shown again, separated by a bluish triangular shape in what appeared to be a mountain. He glanced over at Aeris, who seemed to derive a much greater amount of knowledge from the mural than he had.

A soft click sounded from the entryway. His brain hadn't finished registering the sound before a terrified shout broke the silence. Cloud, Aeris, and the others whipped around to see Yuffie nearly stumbling over herself to get away from the oaken doors that were now closed. The tall figure in front of them stepped purposefully and gracefully into the torch light, his long silver hair shining in the glow.

Sephiroth stood in the radiance of the flames like some kind of demon, calm and deadly. His attention was directed at Cloud and neither Yuffie's panicked shout nor her scramble to get away from him distracted the cold stare that held Cloud's own. Sephiroth made no movement to reach the Masamune, which rested at his side. Cloud, however, brought his own sword up protectively in front of him, his eyes burning with blue fire. "What are you doing here, maniac?"

Sephiroth chuckled quietly for a moment before answering, tipping his head to the side to survey the object of his interest intently. "I am always by your side, Cloud," he promised, with a condescending shake of his head. "I am pleased that you had the chance to see this splendid treasure house of wisdom."

"What are you on about now?" Cloud snarled, looking like an angry cornered animal. His shoulders were high and, between the weight of the sword and his terrified rage, the muscles were taut and tense.

Sephiroth stepped further into the room, causing Avalanche to retreat several panicked paces. Aeris struggled to the front of the group, coming to stand next to Cloud who didn't seem to notice her.

Sephiroth, his greater height causing him to tower over them, never took his gaze away from Cloud whom he seemed solely interested in. "The wisdom here has perfected my plan to become one with the Planet," he said, in a patient tone that was slow and measured.

"How do you intend to become one with the Planet?" Aeris asked, her own voice completely unmarred by fear or anger. She seemed completely in control of the situation, despite the insane madman in front of her. Cloud's head snapped to the side, having been oblivious to Aeris' presence beside him. She stood defiantly before Sephiroth, the same aura of power emanating off of her as it had since they entered the Temple.

Sephiroth reluctantly shifted his attention to her, his emerald eyes boring into her own, sizing her up with cat-slitted pupils that glowed even in the bright light of the torches. He frowned for a moment, but then a shadow of a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips. "It is quite simple," he began, sounding calm and composed, "If the Planet sustains an injury, it gathers spiritual energy to heal the wound. The amount of energy spent corresponds to the size of the wound." His smile widened into a crooked smirk that was ominously out of place with the symmetry of the rest of his face. "Imagine the energy that would gather for a wound that threatened the very life of the Planet!" He held his arms out rapturously, still staring intently at Aeris' unreadable face. "Now, imagine if I was at the very deepest core of that wound. All of that limitless energy would be mine for the taking. I would seize control of the entire soul of the Planet- no, I would _be_ the soul of the Planet and be reborn it's God!"

Cloud's grip tightened audibly on the hilt of his sword and he brandished it menacingly. "Like that would ever happen," he yelled, looking angrier and angrier by the second.

"Behold the mural; the destruction wrought by the Black Materia- Meteor." His eyes glittered malevolently, trailing from Aeris to Cloud and then to the second panel of hieroglyphs- at the ball of flame descending upon the village.

"We won't let you," Tifa spoke up from the group behind their leader. Her voice quavered but her amber eyes were filled with defiance and unbridled hatred, her fists balled tightly at her sides.

Sephiroth made a humored noise that sounded like he had tried to keep himself from laughing aloud. "Only death awaits you all," he said, tearing his gaze to the companions, "but do not fear, for it is through death that new Lifestream is born. Soon, you will live again as a part of me." He laughed loudly and genuinely for a moment, rising to levitate several inches above the ground as he had days ago in Nibelheim. With a loud snapping _crack_, he disappeared in a flash of white light.

Before anyone had a chance to release their baited breath, Cloud's weighty sword fell to the ground with a clatter. It was a few long seconds before anyone realized something was wrong. Cloud stood numbly for a moment, his pale face unreadable. Then he stumbled and tripped sideways into the mural of the destruction. "Cloud!" Tifa shouted as she bolted forward, fearing, with a thrill of horror, he had been somehow wounded.

Their leader, his trembling hands bracing his body against the wall, slid to the ground in a heap. Tifa nearly threw herself on him, supporting his shoulders and trying to ease him into a more comfortable position. Aeris was right beside her in a flash, kneeling before Cloud and peering into his face. She had been about to brush the wild bangs out of his eyes when suddenly burst out into manic laughter. His voice was cracking and the humorless sound echoed off the walls. "The Black Matera," he sputtered through his insane, raucous laughing, his wide blue eyes completely deranged and unrecognizable, "he's… summon the Meteor."

"Cloud!" Aeris shouted, trying to make herself heard over his hysterics. "Cloud, snap out of it!"

Tifa seemed paralyzed with panic at his sudden meltdown as the rest of Avalanche watched, transfixed, while Cloud continued to laugh and shudder. Aeris had the presence of mind to shake him gently, calling his name and trying to get him to settle down.

He suddenly reached out and snatched the front of Aeris' denim jacket with an unbreakable iron grip, looking up at her with a face she barely recognized. "I'm Cloud!" he nearly shouted, spitting words out so quickly it was as though his body was trying to purge itself of a poison, "I'm Cloud! I'm…" his eyes rolled madly for a moment before he finally quieted a little, but his rambling continued.

"Cloud!" Aeris said sternly, "Pull yourself together!" She slapped him across the face, not hard but loud enough to reverberate off the silent walls. He seemed suddenly in his right mind again, his eyes blinking rapidly. He looked at Tifa, whose eyes were wide in panic, her chest heaving with the ragged breaths she was drawing, and then up at Aeris' composed face.

"I… is something wrong," he asked thickly, as though he was severely disoriented, "what happened?"

"Nothing to worry about," lied Aeris cheerfully, standing up and brushing dirt of the fraying hem of her skirt. "Sephiroth got away, but he hasn't taken the Black Materia."

The rest of Avalanche remained totally speechless as Cloud pushed himself to a standing position and retrieved his sword. "How do you know that he hasn't gotten it?"

Aeris pointed to the altar at the very end of the room, bathed in the golden firelight and unassuming in nature. "It's encased within."

Cloud trotted over to the altar, seemingly unaware that he had just been laughing like a madman, collapsed on the floor, but the others followed Aeris' lead and said nothing, though the anxious looks on their faces were shadowed in the flickering light. Cloud poked at the altar for a minute, unable to find any hinges to open the top or depressions in which the Black Materia could lay.

"It won't be that easy," Aeris told him, coming to stand by his side. "The Temple and the Materia are one and the same. Someone has to take the Materia from inside, but it will cause the Temple to collapse."

"I guess stuff like that wasn't meant to leave," Cid muttered through his fourth cigarette.

"We can't leave it here," Aeris replied, not looking back to him. "Sephiroth will find someone to sacrifice themselves for it."

Cait Sith hopped forward to investigate. "Well, it's lucky you brought me," he offered after a few minutes' study. "Aeris, if you could tell me how, I'll get the Black Materia out once you've safely exited the temple."

"We can't let the ShinRa get it!" Barret protested, looking livid.

"Look," Cait Sith said, in a voice that was almost devoid of the sugariness it usually held, "this is bigger than just you versus the ShinRa. The whole Planet's in danger if Sephiroth gets a hold of this Materia. I'll set off the traps and you can take the materia."

"Until you reappear to remind us that you have Barret's daughter as a hostage," Vincent remarked coldly from the back of the group.

"Like I said," he replied calmly, "this is bigger than that. If it makes you feel better, I never wanted to take her as a hostage anyway."

"Fat lotta comfort that is!" Barret shouted, having been near breaking point all day worrying over her.

"I don't agree or approve of the methods Rufus and the Turks use to get what they want," Cait Sith snapped in an uncharacteristically businesslike tone. "In fact I'm surprised at myself for taking a hostage in the first place. At any rate, Rufus doesn't know about my hostage situation so that's really good for you. I promise I won't tell him about where your daughter is and I won't hurt her."

Aeris shook her head sadly. "Cait Sith will be crushed when the Temple collapses, leaving us free to take the materia. We can use the Bronco to get Marlene away from the ShinRa next," she offered, feeling the urgent desperation welling up in her again, "we can leave as soon as we get the Black Materia."

Barret seemed utterly against the entire plan but was so keen on retrieving Marlene that very night he did not argue the situation further. Aeris planned to sacrifice one of the PHS phones in order to effectively announce their exit, bringing the total number of the communicative devises down to just five for the eight of them. Cloud had hastily agreed, and left without a final look at Cait Sith, whom, it seemed, had suddenly become an unwelcome ally. Aeris gave Cait Sith a faint smile and a nod, turned, and followed the others out of the oblong altar room. He sat still, watching their numerous forms hurry out the heavy doors. Something stirred deep within him, not in the mechanical innards of the façade, but in the living, breathing heart.

Avalanche moved quickly as a single entity through the temple. They rushed through the windowless hallways and back up the crumbling steps keeping a careful eye out for any monsters stirred awake by the many visitors the day had brought. As on the trek in, they were ominously unhindered on their way out. Running back through the twisting maze, they realized at the dead end from which they had started that they had been magicked to its entrance from the keystone altar. They had hardly the time to glance questioningly at Aeris before she held the shimmering sapphire keystone. As it glinted in the illusionary sunlight, a glowing rune-covered platform descended from thin air. She smiled, gesturing politely at the dais and hastily followed once the others had climbed upon it.

It ascended in the same slow speed they had first encountered on the way in. They knew Sephiroth had not left the temple, they knew he was liable to do anything for the Materia but they did not know where he would strike first. Would it be Cait Sith, slashed into shrapnel? Sephiroth, with his strange powers, could simply destroy the altar, grab the Black Materia, and vanish into thin air as the building collapsed upon them. Would it be them, as they ran hopefully through the exit? They all seemed to realize that Sephiroth possessed strength and magic far, far beyond any of them. Would they stand a chance? Would one or two of them be able to slip away? The paranoia and rising panic were such as Avalanche had never felt. Their minds were too preoccupied with the mission in front of them to contemplate the ramifications of Sephiroth's accrual of the Black Materia other than a single, terrifying word- apocalypse. No one dared to stop and think of what it truly, fully meant.

The mystic dais rose once more into the columned entryway and Aeris, still leading silently, moved forcefully towards the exit. Tseng was nowhere to be seen, indeed, the only sign the Turk had ever been there was the tiny bloodstain where his body had been propped up against the far column. Flipping open her PHS, Aeris dialed the device left with Cait Sith and held the receiver to her ear, moving ahead all the while. She said two hurried words: _we're out_ and snapped the phone shut as the others took the crumbling steps two at a time. At the edge of the woods they waited. Silence reigned.

An earsplitting rumbling burst from the depths of the temple and the ground beneath their very feet began to quake violently. Loud bangs reverberated amongst the trees and many panicked birds flew noisily away. Then, with a tremendous crack, the Temple of the Cetra began to collapse, its tiered roof slowly falling inwards. Cid cursed through the crumpled butt crunched between his teeth while the others shielded their eyes as a wall of brown dust came hurtling at them like a blast. Coughing and squinting against the noxious cloud, they struggled forward. Barely able to breath without being able to actually taste the filth, Aeris shook her head and held out her hands, barely visible in front of her. A gentle breeze picked up around them and managed to sweep most of the fumes towards the forest on either side of them, leaving them a clear path to the huge hole in the ground where the temple once stood.

Cloud and Aeris were first at the chasm's edge, gazing expectantly down into the depths. A sea of rubble was settling noisily at the bottom, bits of column and stone falling every few seconds. Aeris said nothing, but suddenly pointed to the very center of the pile, where a depression in the mess had made room for an unadorned stone altar. Cloud smiled vaguely back at the companions and hastily began to pick his way down, Aeris not far behind. One by one the others followed, searching for footholds in the crumbling stone.

With a recklessly daring leap, Cloud completed the climb down feeling as though they were close to success. They'd be able to retrieve the Black Materia and once back on the Bronco, be able to decide what to do from there. He stumbled a little as he picked through the rubble towards where the unassuming altar sat, looking for all the world like a stone compartment and not the resting place of the most powerful destructive force yet known to the Planet. His stride quickened as approached the altar, his burning curiosity and need to remove the Black Materia welling within him. He saw, upon closer inspection, that the once smooth surface of the podium had a large crack in it. Prying it apart, he managed to discard a large shard of stone and lower a slightly trembling hand within. Enclosing around the only object inside, he withdrew, holding a small object in his fingers.

The Black Materia was a little larger than regular materia and was surprisingly warm to the touch. He could not tear his eyes away from the darkness radiating off the small sphere like some kind of reverse halo. The surface was smooth and the black violet color seemed to swirl with energy, like a tiny raging storm encased in a glass bauble. He held it up to the light, still unable to look away from its terrible beauty, entranced by the danger and the unassuming appearance. Aeris was by his side suddenly, peering into the black sphere as well.

"None of us can use it, can we?" he asked, hardly bothering to phrase it as a question at all. He had a shrewd guess at her answer before it passed her pink lips.

"No," she answered, staring fixedly at the orb. Cloud noticed there were goose bumps erupting over her arms. "One person does have the power to wield it. Not even Sephiroth."

"Then why-" Cloud began, confusion evident on his face.

She looked at him with that same piercing stare she had used when she had revealed her prophetic dream in the plan wreck. "It's why he was after the Promised Land, Cloud. He needs the never ending spiritual power there to make the Black Materia work for him." She was silent for a minute, idly watching the others making the slow descent after them. "He hasn't found it yet because he's not a Cetra."

"Ah," muttered a soft, venomous voice behind them, "but I have."

Cloud and Aeris whipped around only to see Sephiroth standing stock still a few short feet away looking at them with the faintest of smirks. Cloud's fist tightened around the Black Materia as his stomach and heart suddenly plummeted. Aeris, though startled, did not seem nearly as fearful as he. The others, still climbing, realized what was happening slowly. Several shouts echoed around the stone canyon but they were too far away to offer any protection.

"I am far superior to the Cetra," Sephiroth breathed, staring at Aeris as though she was the only other person present. "I have travelled the Lifestream and gained all of the wisdom of the Ancients. With it, I will make the future. One with the Planet."

"I will not let you," Aeris declared simply, her chin held high and her own eyes set with neither fear nor worry. "The future is not yours to create."

Sephiroth chuckled, his head turning slowly to Cloud, though his eyes remained on Aeris. "I wonder," he retorted through an insane smile. "Cloud… I think it is time you _wake up_."

It was as though every molecule in his body were suddenly jerked towards Sephiroth at his last words. Cloud stumbled forward under the force, blinking rapidly. Horrified, he realized that some sick, twisted part of him was suddenly compelled to approach the evil, insane monster. The compulsion only grew in strength, demanding that he move forward, screaming for him to obey Sephiroth's whim. The terrified aversion that was his logical consciousness was growing muffled under the sudden emergence of wants that were not his own. He struggled to fight against what felt like an oncoming faint, squeezing his eyes shut and battling to think clearly. He could not focus; his mind was one swirling mass of conflict. More and more he found that he_ wanted_ to obey, wanted to appease Sephiroth. It was his duty to serve…

Cloud took several more shaky, stumbling steps towards Sephiroth, the Black Materia clenched painfully in his hand. He couldn't remember what was going on. He wasn't sure he could remember his name. Sephiroth stood before watching him with wicked interest, his mad smile splitting his smooth features. He slowly and gracefully held out his hand, the amusement on his face growing into sheer gleeful triumph. Cloud swayed stupidly on the spot, his body slightly unresponsive. Jerkily, he brought his right hand up to his chest and held it out, the Black Materia still clutched within. He stepped forward with growing ease until he stood unflinchingly before Sephiroth and carefully placed the tiny orb of destruction into his outstretched hand. Sephiroth burst out into loud insane laughter that echoed off the stone walls. "Thank you, Cloud!" With another flash of light, he was gone.

The force suddenly vanished and Cloud found himself collapsing to the ground. Someone was over him, shaking him and calling out to him in a panicky voice. His eyes opened a fraction and nearly recoiled at the sight of bright emerald eyes staring at him. He shuddered convulsively, feeling sick, as Aeris bent over him and placed a cool hand on his sweaty cheek. "Cloud, are you alright?" She asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

"I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth…" he spat before he had time to think about it, as though his brain had overruled his thinking mind. He looked up at her in sudden horror. "What did I do?" He stood up precariously, and nearly tripped into her.

"Cloud!" She spoke over him, sensing that he was on the verge of hysterics again. "Cloud, be strong!"

"Tell me, Aeris! What have I done!?" he found himself shouting, unable to hold back the overflow of conflict within him. What had happened and why had he so desperately wanted to obey Sephiroth? The thought jerked at his stomach and he finally retched, feeling filthy and sick. _What had he done?_

Worry finally sparked in her shimmering eyes, she held up her hands in a sign of peace. "You didn't do anything, Cloud, it wasn't your fault."

He had _wanted _to give Sephiroth the Black Materia. Emotion burst in his heart like deadly explosions and his mind seemed in no condition to rationalize it. A howl of rage escaped him and, looking mad himself, he lunged at her. Aeris could not bite off the scream that burst from her mouth as advanced on her. "Cloud!" she shrieked, looking suddenly terrified at his livid face.

He roughly grabbed the front of her jacket and shook her violently, screaming his rage as he shoved her further from him and cruelly slapped her across her face. There were other shouts now, beyond his own frenzied tirade. Someone had grabbed his arm and was desperately trying to yank him away from Aeris, who had fallen onto the loose rubble holding a shocked hand up to the reddening cheek he had struck. Cloud vaguely recognized Cid in front of him, trying to hold back the flailing arms that sought to violently release his ire. He struggled mightily and if anyone in Avalanche had ever held doubts about the Mako-induced strength he seemed to posses, they were effectively quelled at that moment. It took Barret, Tifa, Vincent, and Cid's combined efforts to keep Cloud from advancing on where Yuffie and Red had rushed to Aeris' side.

"Someone _do_ something!" Tifa cried out, as Cloud nearly managed to fling her off his other arm.

Cid cursed loudly from where he was bodily blocking him. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!" he barked, heaving with the effort. Unable to think of a single other option, Cid hauled back his fist and punched Cloud as hard as he could in the side of the head. It was the only excuse Cloud's body needed, it seemed. He collapsed suddenly, as though struck with a fatal blow, and went limp in the grasp of his four horror-struck teammates.

***

Aeris cheerfully offered to take the third watch that night, knowing that she would have to exercise great caution if her plan was to work. The pain of leaving her dear friends was heart-wrenching, but there was nothing else for it. She would have to leave.

Cloud had remained unconscious since Cid had hit him, but he seemed in no physical danger beyond that of exhaustion. She frowned, still a little frightened of the way he had looked at her in his moment of rage. She knew that anyone would have reacted like that. She should have known Sephiroth would try something like it; she had suspicions, after all. This was why she had to leave, of course, to achieve the only thing that could stop Sephiroth. Her plan was foolproof- she could stop the Black Materia even if he somehow managed to beat her to the Promised Land.

Avalanche did not know, and as far as she was concerned, they were all the better for it. She knew that if she shared her plan, they would come with her unbidden because they were all good people. Aeris couldn't bear the thought of losing any one of them and knew that her mission would achieve their safety. She waited silently in her tent, listening intently for her turn to watch. Then she would pack whatever she could and slip away into the night. When the opportunity finally arose, she smiled warmly at Barret, who muttered "Good night." After several minutes, she hurried back into her own tent, stuffed everything in reach into the single rucksack, and tread silently into the undergrowth of the forest, silent as a shadow.


	30. Consequences

Advanced apologies for the short chapter. Because of some obviously huge plot advances just around the corner I wanted to take a few pages to lay the foundation for all the juicy emotions we'll get to see next time. Please stay tuned, and thanks for your patience. I will continue writing this until we get to the end of the line.

Chapter Thirty

Consequences

Tifa's face screwed up in concentration. Her stomach gave and anxious, unpleasant lurch and she gripped it as though the pressure would alleviate the worry ripping her apart. She ignored her flushed face, which was boiling hot with panic, and stared resolutely at a spot on the far wall. Between her and her target, Cloud lay motionless on a hospital bed, his various monitors beeping steadily. He had not stirred in six days. Cid's single hit had put him into some kind of trauma induced coma, though the physical impact of such a blow seemed rather feeble when compared to what Cloud had survived and endured through his young life.

Tifa had been fighting crippling panic attacks and furious waves of paralyzing anxiety since the morning they had risen after their harrowing encounter with Sephiroth at the Temple of the Ancients. It was Vincent who had discovered that Aeris was not in her tent that morning and had nearly torn the flap off Tifa's tent in an effort to deliver the news. His first impression, and hers, was that Sephiroth had kidnapped her during the night but they had almost ruled it out completely by the time the others had been roused by their panicked conversation. A vast majority of Aeris' possessions were nowhere to be found; additionally, the fact that her rucksack was missing gave Tifa the impression that she had left of her own accord. But how could that be?

Could Aeris have actually decided to abandon them? Tifa wondered if maybe the danger was simply too great to face for a woman with little battle prowess and no grudge to settle. She herself had come to terms with the realization that she was no match for Sephiroth, but her desire for revenge won over her desire for a long life. As likely as it seemed, Tifa simply could not accept that Aeris had run away. They had been allies, united by a common goal, they had been _friends_. Aeris would never have run away, the change in her demeanor within the Temple of the Ancients had proven that- she had stood before Sephiroth with more courage than the rest of them had ever mustered. Again and again, Tifa found herself in a circular monologue in which she continually met the same unlikely end. Aeris had gone to face Sephiroth on her own.

Tifa's brow furrowed as she squeezed her eyes shut. Aeris stood no chance against Sephiroth, no matter what powers she happened to posses. Her stomach lurched again, aching for the knowledge that her friend was safe, that she had been successfully found. She didn't think she could bare the loss of someone who, in such a very short time, had become so dear to her. Against her better judgment, Tifa checked the PHS still clenched in her sweaty hand. The display coldly informed her that she still had no new messages or missed calls.

She had found herself acting in Cloud's stead while he lay in a coma. As that terrible dawn had played out, Tifa had known that there were two goals that had to be achieved. Cloud needed to be taken somewhere to receive medical attention and Aeris had to be located and brought back. Surprisingly, it was Cid who fell in with Tifa's meek orders and bossed the others around for her, seemingly happy for action in such confusing and emotionally charged times. Tifa had split Avalanche into two parties that afternoon. Barret and Cid carefully placed Cloud into the Tiny Bronco and immediately left for the Gold Saucer where he would be admitted into their onsite medical center so long as Dio's generosity held out. Tifa, left behind with Vincent, Red, and Yuffie, lead a search party around the island searching for any signs of Aeris. A day later, Cid had met them at the rendezvous point where they sadly reported that there had been no trace of Aeris' presence on the entire island.

Tifa's stomach jolted with pain again. It seemed that Avalanche was crumbling in front of her eyes; the mismatched bonds they shared seemed to be tearing under the strain of crisis and mistrust. Even with her powerful feelings for Cloud, she could not deny how hard it would be to trust him after he awoke. How was it possible that someone with so much hatred for Sephiroth fall under his control at such a crucial moment? Would he even be himself when he awoke? The thought seemed not to occur to anyone but Tifa as they seemed unconcerned that she remained alone with him when it was possible for him to wake at any time. She tried to clear her mind of the thought. Cloud would be alright when he woke, he had to be. And even if she couldn't trust him, she'd remain by his side.

She glanced at the PHS again. Nothing.

***

Sephiroth's face, distorted and menacing, loomed out of the darkness at him as a strange, half-coherent pastiche of images assaulted his memory. He wished he could wake, that he had the strength to stop it. Nibelheim flashed before him, crumbling in the fire, then the dark, bleak slums of Midgar and the single ray of watery light that washed over him from the single street lamp. A sickening image of himself kneeling before Sephiroth, a blank stare in his broken eyes flashed in front of him suddenly consumed his thoughts. It was the cruel, horrible reality that waited for him.

_I don't want to wake up_, he thought, the words echoing soundlessly within his confused and troubled head. Sephiroth's face bubbled up in front of him again, his evil stare alive with sadistic pleasure. Cloud wished he could cover his eyes, make it stop.

_Cloud?_

A familiar voice… a friendly tone. Who had given him respite from his tortured stream of thoughts? The voice echoed around him, from all directions, seemingly at once. He turned. Aeris stood before him, on a sun dappled forest path, the leaves the same shade as her kind eyes.

_I was beginning to think you couldn't hear me, _she admitted with a soft smile. _I've been calling you for a long time._

He moved, or drifted rather, closer to her and into the shafts of pure sunshine raining from the leaves. _I'm sorry about what happened, I-I couldn't help it._

_Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it; if you're not careful you'll have a breakdown. Avalanche still needs you._

_What is this place? _he asked, trying to absorb the scenery.

_This is what the Cetra called the Sleeping Forest. There's a secret path here that leads to the City of the Ancients, it used to be a huge community of Cetra- though I'm sure it's just ruins now. _She looked over her shoulder sadly, as though the burden she carried was physically weighing down upon her. _Sephiroth will summon Meteor, Cloud. It's just a matter of time. I'm the only one who can do something about it and I have to do it here._ She stepped away from him, her long braid swinging serenely behind her. She looked at him with a strange expression-pained and sad but loving and calm at the same time. _Good-bye, Cloud. I'll come back when it's all over._

_Aeris? _He tried to follow her but found he couldn't keep up with her graceful walk, as though an invisible shield was keeping him from her. _Wait!_

A swirl of black and silver materialized in front of him. Cloud recoiled violently as Sephiroth turned to face him. _She is going to be a problem…_ he said, a pensive look in his calculating face. _We will have to do something about her, won't we?_

It was enough. Cloud, his revulsion mounting, felt himself being ripped back to consciousness as though he was being forcibly sucked through a hose. Dim lighting was seeping in through his eyelids as a rush of sensation rose to greet his consciousness.

He was comfortably resting on a bed with a light blanket pulled up to his chest. Turning his head to the side, still squinting as though he had just walked into bright sunlight, he saw an IV bag with lines running to his arm, paler than he remembered. He felt weak, now that he had expended the effort of moving, and his head had that kind of hollow ache one gets after a rough bout of sickness. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, but it only made it hurt worse. Opening his eyes again, he turned to the other side. In the dim, hospital lighting, he saw Tifa, curled in the fetal position on a couch much too small for her long legs. She was sound asleep, though her face was oddly tense, as though she too was having unpleasant dreams. In the chair next to his own bed, something stirred.

Barret was fiddling with the PHS, and as he shifted his weight in the much-too-small chair, his dark eyes glanced in Cloud's direction. His stony expression never faltered as he realized his companion was finally conscious. "S'bout time you woke up," he muttered, pocketing the PHS.

"How long was I out?" Cloud asked, his voice gravelly and dry from disuse.

Barret crossed his arms, looking reserved, "Almost a week. Doctor says you went into some kinda trauma induced coma."

Trauma? Cloud thought his sudden, disgusting weakness towards Sephiroth was traumatizing at the very least. His head pounded reproachfully, as though punishing him for thinking further about the matter. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut again, willing the muddling pain to subside. Barret seemed to think he was taking too long to reply, however, and continued on without further prompting. "Aeris is gone."

"I know," he mumbled flatly, cracking his eyes open again. "The Cetra are the only ones who can save us; Aeris is the only one who can stop it."

"Cid and the others have been searchin' for her since the morning she vanished. They haven't found a damn trace of her. It's like she just disappeared off the face of the Planet. No campfires at night or anything."

Cloud didn't look at him. "I know where she went."

"But you don't wanna go after her, do you?"

"No," Cloud heard himself say, as though he had planned this response all along. "I can't go near Sephiroth; he has some sort of power…"

"Yeah, goddammit," Barret spat, looking angry but restrained, "because of you we lost the Black Materia to him."

Cloud covered his eyes with both of his hands for a moment; they seemed diminished, almost feminine in size without the bulk of the gloves he usually wore. He took several deep breaths as the reality of his moment of weakness crashed over him.

Barret didn't relent. "You've got some serious problems, hell, we all do. But we can't just get offa the train we're on until we reach the end of the line. We're Avalanche. We all want Sephiroth and the ShinRa stopped for our own reasons- we all know that we have a snowball's chance in hell but we'll take that risk because we know something's gotta be done. We came this far, don't you want revenge? Don't you want to kill him yourself?"

"No," he moaned, "I can't get near him again; he was able to control me totally. I _wanted_ to give him the Materia. I'm losing my mind… I'm afraid-"

"You just a fucking coward," Barret spat, looking mercilessly at his younger companion. "You got some kind of trauma and you just run from it. There's some seriously huge questions in your life that you don't know the answers to, and not even that, you don't wanna know the answers. You just keep running and hiding behind revenge. Now, you don't even want revenge, you got nothin' to hide behind. We all believe in you, Cloud."

"What am I supposed to do," he shot back, "just carry on my merry way until Sephiroth shows up again and… and…"

"We'll all be with you," Barret replied simply. "I'll knock you upside yo' spikey white ass and bring you back to normal."

Cloud didn't reply immediately. He stared across the ward at Tifa's form, still sleeping despite their low conversation.

"Y'know, she never left this room if she could help it," Barret said quietly. "She, at the very least, believes in you no matter what's wrong inside your head."

"Alright," Cloud muttered, turning back to Barret, "Say I decide to come with you again, what if-"

"I told you not to worry 'bout that shit!" he hissed. "We'll just deal with it when and if it happens."

"I think," Cloud hissed in a whisper that carried an edge of hysteria, "that you're forgetting that I've got _freak-strength_."

"You damn right you have freak-strength," Barret retaliated, his deep voice rising authoritatively. "But I don't give a damn. We held you back at the Temple and we'll hold you back again."

"Goddammit, Barret, you don't listen-"

"No, Cloud!" Barret barked loudly, startling Tifa awake in the corner. "You the one who ain't listening. If you face Sephiroth you'll figure out why he's able to control you- and fight back. We are not gonna sit here while Aeris skips off by herself. We're a team, dammit!"

"Barret!" Tifa snapped, sitting up, "Leave him alone! He's weak!"

"That's fo' sho."

"Barret!" Her voice peaked shrilly, a warning glare in her taut face.

Cloud turned his head to the side. "I'll go with you," he muttered, looking drowsy and miserable, "I'll help bring Aeris back… but remember how worried you were when Vincent joined us? Well, you're an idiot for thinking I'm any different."

Tifa, glaring angrily at Barret, fussed with Cloud's blanket and pillows for a moment. "You want anything?" she asked, careful not to bump into the IV rack. "Painkillers? Something to drink?"

"No, I'm alright," he said dully. He closed his eyes, pretending to be sleepier than he really was. "I want to rest some more. Wake me in the morning, will you? We should get as early a start as possible."

"Sure thing," she affirmed, looking reserved and a little unhappy. "I'll go get your release straightened out." And she left them alone in the dimly lit room, irritation and apprehension still thick between them.


	31. Asphyxiation

Chapter Thirty One

Asphyxiation

By some previously unknown telepathy or by dedication to yet another leap of blind faith, Cloud believed that his vision of Aeris in the forest had been more than a dream. Once again taking the reins of leadership, albeit reluctantly, he decided to head north, certain they drew closer and closer to peril and civil war. Cloud thought, with juvenile and savage pleasure, that Barret would be eating his words of toughened encouragement and support should they cross paths with Sephiroth. Barret's sentiments were stupid, Cloud told himself, the older man had grown too accustomed to the way things had been working to this point and was afraid of change. He felt guilty for letting himself to be cajoled back into this role he no longer wanted, knowing that now, more than ever before, all of their lives rested in his incapable hands. If he lost control, they would die. Probably by his own hand. He shuddered convulsively at the thought, the queasy headache pounding away in his churning head.

The others sat in silence as the Tiny Bronco navigated the turbulent storm outside. Icy cold rain battered the windows in endless volleys and the fierce winds buffeted the plane as an overexcited child might play with a new toy rocket. Yuffie's motion sickness, as usual, kept her far away from the others, brooding and looking identically sullen to Cloud. Conversation had been sparse (the rough conditions often caused sentences to end in high pitched "Whoa!"'s) but the overall morale seemed higher than usual, which only served to annoy Cloud further. With Cloud at the head of the team, the rest felt like things were normal again. This was just another short-term goal; just another ShinRa Headquarters. They would rescue Aeris and continue on their way towards the Promised Land to face Sephiroth.

They landed offshore after a long and boring flight but their trek to the shore more than made up for the lack of action. The water was utterly frigid, helped none by the sharp, jagged cliffs lining the coast that seemed to be icy towards the upper edges. With too many rocks to bring the Bronco in any farther, they had no choice but to wade through waist deep water towards shore. They would not have risked hypothermia had a little village not been nestled right on the pebbly beach. Knowing already that they needed to restock provisions Cloud mentally added warmer clothes to his shopping list since his own bare arms had erupted into goose bumps. An academic outpost, Bone Village was the farthest flung point associated with the ShinRa's three biggest universities. Cloud knew now that they were merely facades for scientific crusades that benefited the ShinRa's military power, but he took comfort in knowing that at least these young students and scientists would not care that they were there so long as there hadn't been too much Avalanche-vilifying in the news of late.

The new, warm clothes they had bought were so welcome that it seemed to boost Avalanche's morale even further. Yuffie, with new boots, purple sweater, and pink scarf, felt much happier now that she was warm and dry. Without confirming with the others, she had bought a second scarf, pink and brown, for Aeris. When Red, declining any clothes at all, asked why she needed a second one, Yuffie grinned at him. "For Aeris," she smiled, "she left in such a rush she probably didn't think to prepare for the cold."

"I'm sure she will appreciate it," Red replied, a slight smile playing at his face. Yuffie beamed at him. Of all the others, Red seemed most willing to accept her return to the group after her betrayal in Wutai apart from Aeris, but now that the Cetra had left, Yuffie found herself spending most of her time with the eloquent beast. She had finally begun to appreciate his wisdom and solid advice even if his calculated and totally logical personality could be a little hard to relate to at times.

Barret, clad in an ugly army jacket that made him look, if it was possible, even larger than before, called over to them. The majority of the group was milling by the door, newly bundled in winter clothing. Cloud, paying for his own heavy jacket and new black sweater, was talking to the shop keep, obviously asking if a lone woman had been seen here.

"Yeah, actually!" replied the surprised shop keeper. "A girl showed up about two days ago, stopped for a meal, and ran off into the woods."

"What about a tall man with silver hair? He wears a long black cloak. Did you see him?" Cloud pressed, looking anxious.

The man thought for a moment. "No, I didn't see him. The girl though, I don't think you should go looking for her."

"Why's that?" Cloud snapped, growing suddenly irritable.

"Well, she went off into the forest- the Sleeping Forest. It's like a labyrinth in there, the trail twists in all over itself and it's impossible to navigate. A couple of interns disappeared there last summer and one of our scientists is convinced that compasses don't point north inside."

"Thanks for the info," Cloud said, his face stony. He turned and left the store without another word.

They regrouped outside, re-equipped their bits of armor and materia, and started towards the forest. Four separate people tried to talk them out of it but they would not be swayed. Cloud eventually started to ignore the townspeople and was quite glad that they would not approach them as they stepped through the first line of trees into the dark and silent woods.

Cloud's pace was steady but quick. The woods were, admittedly, eerie and the mournful hoot of the occasional owl startled him every time he heard it. The tension was mounting, he strained to hear the tell tale signs of approaching danger- the snap of a twig, the rustle of underbrush. He was certain, _absolutely certain_, that Sephiroth was near. He felt as though he was being watched and the thought made him sweat despite the cool air. There was something else, though, something deeper and more unexplainable. He felt hushed, as though the forest was sacred or a home to some fantastic, powerful being. There was something intangible in the air that was greater in spirit than he; something he didn't understand, a power beyond him.

They continued on in silence, the others, apparently, feeling the spirit of the place as well. Cloud noticed that Vincent and Red, both in possession of enhanced senses, seemed to be casting occasional glances over their shoulders or into the black spaces between the innocent trees. Something was definitely out of place. The wind moaned through the trees, a sensual, terrible sound. And then realization hit him with the force of an avalanche.

He stopped dead in his tracks. The others, alarmed, began pulling out weapons. When they looked at their leader questioningly he pursed his lips and shook his head. "Guys, listen." He cupped his hands to his ears and tipped his head down, as though he was straining to hear a faint sound. They stood in silence so absolute that it smothered them. The wind rolled again, and this time, they heard the low moan of pain beneath it. It made all the hairs on their necks stand on end. As they listened, the cries seemed to grow louder, more desperate. The pain and prolonged suffering was evident in every stretched millisecond of the sound.

"You can hear the cries of the Planet," Red whispered, awestruck.

"What the _fuck_!" Cid swore, looking spooked and thoroughly disconcerted. "Where the hell is that coming from?"

Tifa bit her lip and looked equally worried and fearful, though she ignored Cid's panicked outburst. "What could this mean? Why can we hear it?"

"The Lifestream seems to be stronger the further north we travel," offered Red, looking pensive. "I think it is somehow related to Aeris' coming here. The Promised Land, the land of Lifestream, could very well be on this continent."

"Then we'll follow the cries," Cloud declared, determination rising in his face. "We'll take the same path Aeris took. Let's go."

The path was easy to travel, save that the forest itself still deeply unnerved them. The cries of the Planet grew louder and louder as though it was play some perverse and terrifying version of 'Hot & Cold'. As they travelled deeper into the woods, the trees seemed to acquire a dreamlike quality about them, the shone pearly white in the dark, glowing softly. The little light that managed to seep through the canopy seemed oversaturated and intensify color wherever it touched. The path finally took a steep descent into a foliaged covered ravine where quietly running water could be heard.

It was the strangest sight any of them had ever seen, looking down towards where the gently running water lapped over smooth stones. Giant, opalescent sea shells littered the soft ground as though they had been constructed there as monuments to the beasts that once inhabited them. Great spiky spires rose gracefully out of the ground, with perfectly symmetrical grooves and huge, chambered nautilus shells lay invitingly against the mossy walls. Too impressed and awed to speak to each other, Avalanche descended and found, at the very bottom, a paved path lined with wood that led into a fissure in the cliff face. Cloud realized with a jolt that the way was paved with razor clam shells, only they were as large as the doors in the house he grew up in.

Cautiously, more to preserve the sanctity and terrible beauty of the place than anything, they followed the clam shell path into the crevice and through the mounting darkness. Once out, however, a second curiosity met them. A whelk shell, streaked with soft pinks and purples, sat alone in a clearing against a deep lagoon with the bluest, cleanest water Cloud had ever seen. The shell itself seemed to have been fashioned into a house, a crude door, ajar, led within and several empty windows stared blankly from near the top.

The loudest cry they had heard yet reverberated in their hearts as they took in the house. "She's in there," Cloud muttered, mostly to himself, it seemed. He did not unsheathe his sword but he approached in a cautious way still feeling paranoid. The others shuffled after him, looking about with awe and worry. The mossy ground muffled their footsteps so effectively that they were plunged into silence; not a leaf stirred nor the water rippled. Indeed it seemed that the sound had been sucked away from them. Later, they would all silently agree that it was the most soundless place they had ever travelled. Cloud stepped inside and saw, pointing to the others, a crystalline staircase that shimmered like diamond in the dusty light.

It was set right into the floor of the shell and seemed to lead underground. He did not pay attention to the rest of the dwelling, nor did he bother to take note of anything else. He was absolutely convinced that Aeris had passed through here, and not long ago, as though he could feel her very presence. The descended further and further into the strange ethereal Wonderland, full of otherworldly beauty. The Planet's moan of despair echoed again as they descended the crystal stairs. Instead of growing darker, however, the light steadily grew in strength. Brighter and brighter the light around them shown, nearly blinding them. Then, as queer as could be, it seemed to level out, though it was as bright as a summer's afternoon. Their eyes adjusting, they looked around. Then they gasped in unison.

A vast city of crystal and glass stretched out magnificently underneath them. The glass staircase sat high above the buildings and structures as though it was some kind of heavenly stairway, allowing Avalanche to descend from the clouds, where it indeed appeared as though they had done exactly that. The false sunlight glittered joyfully across the pinks and blues of the magic, crystal city- off the treasure trove of domes and spires and the ornate archways that seemed to mark major thoroughfares. The city seemed to be built around a tiny lake, in which several white marble piers stood.

Cloud began his descent again, simultaneously impatient to be reunited with the wayward Aeris and completely dumb-struck at the regal place that his own feeble imagination could never have concocted. The others began to slowly follow him, each with wide eyes and slack jaws. Even Cid could not find an adequate curse to sum up his wonderment. "Cloud!" Vincent hissed sharply, pointing with his gauntlet (which seemed less hideous in the golden light) towards the center of the lake.

"What?" he prompted, following Vincent's clawed digit. He squinted, trying to find whatever had caused him alarm. Cloud's eyebrows suddenly contracted, there was a person sitting in the middle of the marble pedestal in the middle of the water. He was able to make out the pink outfit with difficulty. "Aeris!"

Cloud began hurrying down the steps, impatience welling within him as the others moved to catch up with him. They had found her, he thought happily, his mood rising deliriously. He had so many questions for her. The others grinned broadly, and even Vincent was able to share a relieved smirk with Yuffie, who looked positively ecstatic. Once down on ground level, they were no longer able to see the marble and glass pillar on which Aeris sat, but all of the town's smooth streets seemed to lead towards the lake, as though their missing friend sat at the very center of town. They finally, though it had really only been a handful of minutes, reached the lakeside. Aeris was indeed atop the altar, but she appeared to be in prayer. Her hands clasped loosely together, she kneeled peacefully and still on the clean ground underneath her. Her green eyes, crystalline like the city around her, were closed. Cloud moved towards the bridge and loyally, the others followed. He held up a hand to stop them though, he wanted to be the one that woke her from her trance. It seemed important that he be the one with her first.

He walked purposefully up the glass walkway that led to her, unsheathing his sword. His heart started to pound in his chest and against his Adam's apple as he approached her defenseless form, still oblivious to the presence of her friends. The others, back on the shore, were oddly silent as though holding their collective breath. He widened his stride and gripped his blade in both hands, knowing what had to be done. Automatically, he raised his wide, heavy sword over his head and pulled it down, to where his victim sat motionless.

"No!" A panicked shout, raw with terror, rent the air with the force of shattering glass.

Cloud's face snapped into a sudden expression of realization and let the blade he had nearly used against her fall to the ground with a banging clatter. He knew what had almost happened, what he had almost done. Instantly, he felt sick again. Aeris seemed to be the only thing in his line of sight, and what he had nearly done the only thing in his mind. Her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked softly and raised her head to look up at him. A smile tugged at the very edges of her lips.

Then a shadow, black as night, fell upon her.

It took a long, silent second to take it in. Sephiroth rose from crouched position to his full height, his eyes boring into Cloud's wide blue ones. Cloud almost said something; combative, hateful were forming on his tongue, but as Sephiroth stood they died where they were.

The Masamune, streaked with thin ribbons of scarlet, protruded our of Aeris' torso, just under her chest. Her eyes, still on Cloud, widened in mild surprise and she exhaled unevenly. Her chest heaved for a moment, caught off guard and working to bring oxygen to her lungs, before she tipped forward slightly under the effort of holding up her head. Sephiroth wrenched the Masamune out of her with violent brutality. The wide ribbon holding Aeris' chestnut braid was shaken loose with the force and the bead of tiny materia secured there bounced away into the bottomless water. She slumped sideways onto the floor, her front already drenched in blood.

The silence was deafening. Cloud's ears rang painfully as his pounding heart beat ferociously, almost angrily, against the inside of his body. He lurched forward and fell to his knees beside her, utterly numb and uncomprehending; his brain absolutely refusing to take it in. His body seemed to act of its own accord because he certainly did not have the presence of mind to reach out and hold her in his arms, to shake her gently even as the crimson stain continued to bloom on her front. He could hear screaming now, from the lakeside, from right in front of him. He was screaming, repeating the words 'no' and 'Aeris' over and over again. Something wet and white hot was rolling down his face- he could not bear to look at the hideous wound but could not tear his eyes away.

"Aeris!" he sobbed over and over again, his mouth dry and his body numb. He shook her gently and her head lolled softly to the side, her small form cradled in his arms.

"Do not worry, Cloud." Sephiroth purred, as though he actually meant to comfort. "Soon the girl will return to the Lifestream; the Promised Land awaits over the snowfields-"

"Shut up!" Cloud screamed, his voice cracked and shaking. Sephiroth merely surveyed him, the faintest trace of a smirk on his lips. "I'll kill you… I'll kill you!" Cloud choked through his sobs, but he could not seem to bring himself to put Aeris down, to set her aside and retrieve his sword.

Sephiroth laughed, a sound that echoed mercilessly off the crystal and glass. "I'd prefer it if you didn't succumb to your grief, which I'm sure is _terrible_," he said sarcastically. "Empty obedience would suit you best, Cloud-"

Cloud finally tore his burning, streaming eyes away from Aeris and turned stare at Sephiroth with a flaming hatred such as he had never felt nor dreamed possible. He set her gently on the cold floor and launched himself at the towering madman, howling with rage like some kind of wild beast.

"-Because you are a puppet," Sephiroth goaded softly. He raised his arms and vanished into a flash of white light, his venomous voice echoing after him. "_My_ puppet."

Cloud fell past the spot where Sephiroth had stood, his chest heaving with wretched sorrow. The others had made it to Aeris' side now, shocked and horror-struck. There were a handful of long, drawn out seconds where the companions stood, Aeris' body resting on the blood smeared ground, and Cloud kneeling beside her, silent sobs wracking his body and tears leaking out from under where his hands covered his face. Then reality seemed to win out over confusion and disbelief and, one by one, the others were crushed under their grief.

There was not a dry face among them. Yuffie, sobbing loudly, was clinging to Tifa, whose face was screwed up in an ugly grimace of pain, her face red and wet from the copious amount of tears flowing from her shut eyes. Barret had a hand over his face, though dark tear tracks lined his cheeks and his bottom lip was trembling with the effort of holding back. Red, fat tears rolling out of his single eye and trying his utmost not to sob, sat quietly next to Cid who silently shed tears as he looked up into the false sky. Even Vincent's eyes were over bright, and a tear managed to leak out of them every few minutes. They sat together, crying and choking, for hours. No one spoke; no one made any attempts to comfort anyone else. They could only stare at Aeris' body like masochists, deliberately causing themselves pain, as though it might not really be true or possible.

Finally, Vincent stood. "We need to…" his voice lost its confidence almost immediately, "we need to send her off. It is not dignified to let her rest her while we mourn her." Cloud looked up at him but did not say anything. Vincent felt a rare and strong surge of sympathy towards the younger man, he knew that this was a blow to Cloud, but did not care to think of anything other than Aeris at the moment. "Let's take her back out; I think she would like to rest outside."

"By the water," Barret rumbled in a choked voice. The others made vague noises of agreement.

Cloud nodded faintly but could not move. Vincent grabbed Cloud's arm and helped him to his feet. "And," he said quietly, "if you are able to, I think you should be the one to bring her there."

Two fresh tears spilled from Cloud's eyes but he nodded and stooped to gather Aeris in his arms. He was repulsed by her body, though he felt instantly guilty and even more miserable for it. He could not accept that she was dead, cold, and empty. He could not accept that the dead body he cradled in his arms had, not long ago, been a vibrant and beautiful woman who had powers they were only just beginning to understand. The wound was dark with congealed blood, stretched in sticky ropes. He tried not to look, feeling like he owed her this much. He would take this as his first punishment for letting her be murdered in front of his very eyes.

They travelled in a slow, solemn procession back up the crystal stairs single file, still too miserable to speak. The city had lost its beauty; it seemed empty and dingy now and they wanted nothing more than to leave and never return again. Silently, they pressed on until they were back in the whelk house, where Barret held the door open for Cloud and his burden to pass. The glade, unlike the city, seemed twice as beautiful, the emerald green leaves casting glowing shadows across the soft ground. The others scanned the place, without using words to quantify, for a place to bury her.

"What about in the water?" Tifa posed, he voice flat with silent agony.

All were quiet for a moment before Red nodded. "Yes," he agreed, his voice shaking. "Yes, I… I think the water suits her."

Cloud set her down for a moment to let his aching arms recover as he stared at the glasslike surface of the bottomless lagoon. Yuffie approached the body, looking pale and sick, and began to fumble with the disheveled braid. Cid put a hand on her shoulder as she bit back another sob. "Her ribbon fell out," Yuffie muttered, as though to explain to herself, "let me fix her hair." She loosened it and let it fall out entirely, still curling softly towards the ends. Yuffie also, with a terrible tremble, moved Aeris hands over the gaping wound, interlocking her delicate fingers. When she stood to admire the effect the others could not fight the surge of appreciation. Now Aeris looked as though she might simply be resting.

Cloud started to cry again, knowing what was next. He scooped her up in his arms again began to wade into the cerulean water. Red's spoke in a carrying voice, strong despite the uncharacteristic quaver, "Today we say goodbye to our dearest friend and beloved comrade."

The others began to cry again and Red's voice shook as he continued, "She carries with her the deep love of all who knew her and the mournful cries of those who watched her life come to an end today. May solace come to you in knowing that your untimely death will not have been in vain. We hope that you rest comfortably forevermore in the tide of spirit that roams this Planet," Red sobbed in earnest for a moment, a heart wrenching sound on its own. "Goodbye, Aeris. May you rejoin your Cetra brethren."

Cloud, up to his stomach in the cool water, gently lowered Aeris in. Tears burned down his face again, as he started to let her go. Brushing her cold cheek tenderly with his gloved hand, he watched, frozen with terrible grief as she slowly sank beneath the surface, her dark hair fanning out around her. A long, vibrating note sounded from the shore and then moved slowly into a song. Yuffie sang quietly in Wutaian, a song that was stately and regal but with some intangible melancholy lurking in the measures. Her singing voice rang like a bell through the woods, tolling the death of someone dear. Cloud turned his head skyward, only one thought on his mind. _Why?_

Notes: Okay, is there any scene more important to FF7 than this one? I've literally planned this chapter for YEARS. This is the culmination of all previous chapters and I really, really hope I've pulled off something believable even if it isn't totally verbatim to what happened in the game. Anyway, I didn't want to distract anyone at the beginning with author's notes, but I really hope those of you who waited ever so patiently for this weren't disappointed. Look forward to next time- brooding, meltdowns, and drama! Oh my!


	32. Bleak

Chapter Thirty-Two

Bleak

It was clear that there was something very wrong with Cloud Strife. He sat apart from the others muttering every so often, as though so overcome with troubling thoughts that he seemed wholly unable to sit in silence like the rest of them. Cid, displaying his rare nurturing streak, had pat him on the shoulder a few times as though to try and ease his suffering and also, it seemed, to lead him back towards the rest of the group. Cloud seemed slightly unhinged and they knew that it was for a very good reason. It was irrefutable now. Sephiroth had total control over Cloud. What was more, Cloud seemed to be unable to tell when Sephiroth was exerting his will over him until it was too late.

None of them slept that night. Taking refuge in the whelk house, they sat in a circle, the small lantern from Cid's plane casting a soft sphere of illumination around them like a protective barrier. One question plagued them endlessly, these quiet hours. _What now?_ It was apparent that they sat at some kind of crossroads. Would they, could they, continue to pursue Sephiroth? Or would their journey end, the battle lost? "Cloud," Yuffie called softly, "what do you think we should do next?" The question had been debated in hushed, half-hearted whispers for the last hour or so and the young girl's impatience and inconsolable anguish prompted her to take matters into her own hands.

Cloud glanced at her for a second but looked quickly back down to his boots. "I don't know. I don't know how I feel."

His offering at least seemed to give the others heart enough to speak. "I think we should continue," Red spoke simply, glancing at each for a moment. "I now wish to exact revenge on Sephiroth as well as Hojo."

"I agree," Vincent nodded. He looked pensive for a moment before adding, "For Lucrecia's sake. I cannot allow Sephiroth to continue his bloody rampage."

Cid did not appear convinced however. "I dunno, how can we fight something we can't… fight?"

"But I can't jes' sit here while Sephiroth destroys the Planet," Barret piped up, looking eager for a decision to be reached. "Shit, he makes the ShinRa seem alright. Course, it's their fault he's a damn psycho, ain't it? What about you, Tifa?"

She shrugged a little, looking uncomfortable. "I want revenge but I won't leave Cloud by himself," she said finally, a red flush creeping up her face. "Sephiroth deserves to die but my friends have to come first."

"I have," Cloud mused, mostly to himself, "so many questions." The others gave him silent, unreadable looks. Guilt coursed through him like poison. They hurt now because he failed Aeris, these people he had grown to love like family. But there was no room in his heart for love anymore. It housed only hatred and sorrow; one for Sephiroth and one for Aeris. The guilt reared again as he looked at his bereaved comrades and it bullied his voice back to speech. "I can't understand why he's able to control me; he murdered my mom and burned my home. Other than that, I have no connection to him. Why can he do this to me?" he ended on a desperate note. "I've been chasing him to get my revenge for what he did five years ago… at least, I thought I was."

Cloud looked aggrieved as he went on, his voice quiet but holding a note of barely restrained fury and obvious disgust. "I'm afraid of myself. There's something in me, some part of me, that I don't understand. I wanted to give Sephiroth the Black Materia, just like I wanted to… today…" He broke off, squeezing his eyes shut. The others gave him pitying looks but it only seemed to intensify the anger in his voice. "I should quit. I should run away and hide somewhere far away from him, but I won't. He murdered my mom, burned down the only home I ever had, murdered Aeris, and wants to summon Meteor to destroy the Planet and become a god. I have to kill him. I _have_ to kill him. I.. I have to go on. I need to ask for help from each of you. Will you come with me? And, when the time comes, stop me from doing something terrible?"

Avalanche exchanged the briefest of looks with one another before agreeing. _They_ were still alive and they had a job to do. Without bothering to rest or calm their nerves, they left the whelk shell, paid their final tribute to Aeris: a clump of pink wildflowers wrapped in a pink and brown scarf, and departed through the silent glade. The cries of the Planet still reverberated in the quiet places of the Sleeping Forest, but instead of following them back to Bone Village, they veered even further north. The Promised Land lay in front of them somewhere and Red theorized that it lay towards the northern end of the continent. They pressed wordlessly on, until the pearly white trees of the hidden city thinned and finally ended at the timber line of a craggy mountain range. The air was thin, and they wheezed and panted, adjusting to the high altitude with difficulty.

It was, by far, the hardest trek they had encountered. The rocky ground was devoid of any trails or paths, and they were forced to climb up sheer walls of solid, icy rock. Their fingers were numb and raw from clutching furiously at the jagged handholds and all of them had torn the knees out of their pants slipping and sliding across sharp inclines and treacherous crevices. They plowed single file through thigh high snow drifts, each lost in their own sad thoughts. Cloud remained at the head of the group like usual, but he was silent. His arms crossed against the wind, he blazed forward with determination. His mako enhanced physical strength allowing him to effortlessly climb dizzying walls of rock and plow through tall snow without ever seeming to tire. His newly enflamed desire to murder Sephiroth seemed to feed his strength further and he did not call for rest the whole day.

Behind Cloud, Cid traipsed along, smoking furiously. He had burned through nearly a whole pack since yesterday evening and was quickly running out. The cigarettes calmed his nerves and after losing Aeris, he was feeling uncontrollably jittery and emotional. He had never witnessed anything sadder; the most innocent of them all, murdered in front of their eyes. It wasn't like he expected this undertaking to be safe but to lose Aeris… why her? Had she been targeted just to cause the most amount of pain possible? It was fucking sick, he thought. She hadn't ever done a damn thing to anyone, probably ever, and she was the one lying cold and dead at the bottom of some god-forsaken pond in the middle of a deserted forest. He had only known her for a painfully short time, but even he had seen what a warm and gentle person she had been. It was easy to see, perhaps because he still felt like an outsider sometimes, that she was the heart and soul of Avalanche. She was someone they all respected and the all-important mediator of the group. Had Sephiroth known this? Had he murdered her in the hope of spreading discord among them? Or had he simply jumped at the chance to pick off a straggler and simply waited long enough for them to witness it? This was some seriously fucked up shit.

He thought of his own mission in Avalanche. Was he okay with risking his life and safety? Did he really care that much about what some crazy-ass general was or wasn't going to do with an ancient magic? Yes, he answered himself. He had been a slave to the ShinRa for years and years. Ever since he accepted that grant to go to their engineering college he had been a lapdog. His whole education had been tailor-made for weapons development and they had even managed to brainwash him into a few years of military service. The _Highwind_ had been totally funded by ShinRa research and development grants and before the maiden voyage, they had snatched it from his hands for their own purposes. And he had sat quietly and obediently in Rocket Town, waiting for them to find a use for him. No more, he thought bitterly, he was going to repay ShinRa tenfold.

As far as Sephiroth was concerned, Cid found the decision to continue with Avalanche equally simple. How could he simply ignore the mad general's plans now that they had come to light? Sephiroth certainly seemed capable of summoning magic strong enough to wipe out the Planet. Cid found that he wasn't fussed about risking his life, though it might have been pure machismo. He had already wasted it lolling around Rocket Town feeling sorry for himself- and, the thought suddenly occurred to him, wasted Shera's by bullying her into being a meek phantom of the brilliant engineer he once knew. Guilt bubbled unpleasantly within him. He felt so much older than when he had met Avalanche. He was fairly certain that he was still immature and still a jerk, but he resolved to (if luck permitted him to live long enough) apologize to her.

Barret and Tifa seemed, besides Cloud, the most affected, though Red tended to join in when they spoke in hushed voices together. Vincent, plodding silently along behind them, watched their hushed exchanges detachedly. Of course, they had known Aeris the longest and from what he knew about their past actions survived a great deal together. Barret, at least, seemed fueled by his desire to deal judgment on Sephiroth. Tifa, Vincent noted, seemed reluctant despite her determined words from the glade. She did not join Cloud at the front of the line like usual and he could sense anxiety and dread radiating off her. He wondered vaguely what was causing her such distress for she seemed wholly fearful of what lay ahead of them. But then, he thought, she was probably shaken by the loss of Aeris and perhaps she feared for the rest of her teammates. He suspected that she was far more affected than she let on and resolved to keep an eye on her for a while. Perhaps he could do something to comfort her.

_Lucrecia, what would you do?_

It was a familiar monologue that carried on inside his skull during all his waking moments. He found himself imagining that she could hear his thoughts from the beyond and he was embarrassed to say that he found it somewhat comforting. He imagined her smiling face, round and happy, and found that his heart felt soothed somewhat. He supposed it was a self-inflicted cruelty to pretend that Lucrecia could understand him now when the cold, harsh reality of her death was still fresh in his mind. He found he did not care. He was doing this for her, to make up for failing her. He did not know what would come after but he knew that, at least for now, he owed it to her to stop her son.

A few quiet outbursts of tears and grief had punctuated the day and yet they still pressed ever forward. They pitched their tents hours after moonrise and were packed up and on the move again before the sun had risen. The next two days carried on in much the same fashion. Cloud led them forward silently and they followed in equal quiet. They dealt with monsters swiftly, their bad moods alleviated ever so slightly by the call to battle, at least temporarily. There seemed to be droves of wolves prowling the white plains, trotting along a hundred yards behind them and looking for their chance to attack. They circled and flanked but, gratefully, seemed too nervous to approach and attempt to drag someone off.

On the third morning, rosy and icy, they made a pit stop in Icicle Inn, a sister city to Costa del Sol in terms of tourism and destination resorts. Between the countless ski shops and coffee parlors they were able to gather the supplies they would need to overcome the glacier that lay in front of them. Even warmer clothes were purchased and they were forced to abandon some of their old wardrobe to make room in their packs for the new.

Tifa glowered at her fleecy leather boots; they were the kind of thing that was more fashionable than functional. Her old ones had become dilapidated in the journey and were certainly not up to keeping her feet warm in this weather. She equipped more materia to her gloves than usual, knowing that trying to box in her current, over-fluffed state would be borderline useless. She caught Vincent giving her an appraising look and joined him as they walked out of the store together, waiting as the others finished purchasing additional clothes.

"You do not seem to enjoy your new clothes," Vincent stated blankly. He peered down at her from over his upturned collar.

"Because I don't," she grumbled flatly. "I can't fight in these stupid things." She wiggled one of her booted feet, watching the fashionably loose boot bounce slightly on her foot. She turned to see his reaction, which naturally, was blank. For further emphasis she threw some very slow, controlled punches. Her nylon jacket responded to her every movement with a loud _vwip_.

Vincent made a nearly inaudible grunt that could have been a short chuckle. "You may call it old-fashioned if you wish," he said quietly, bending sideways to speak to her, "but I am still impressed and a little surprised that you throw yourself into melee."

Tifa smiled half-heartedly, but it was a warm look nonetheless. "I learned from a young age that you have to rely on yourself."

He nodded solemnly. "Indeed. That is a difficult lesson to learn."

"I guess," she agreed. "I got tired of waiting for a mysterious, handsome man to show up in the nick of time to sweep me off my feet."

"Men have little sense of punctuality," Vincent remarked, sweeping some loose hair away from his white face.

Tifa smiled again, her lips pulling upwards slightly, though she seemed unwilling or unable to fully perform her usual grin. Yuffie, exiting the shop, saw them standing together and flounced over to them, the pink bobble on her knit hat bouncing excitedly. "Hi Tifa, hi Vinnie." His nose wrinkled at the unwelcome nickname. "Whatcha talking about?"

"The many woes incurred when travelling with young children," he said, staring at her pointedly.

Tifa snorted, a reluctant giggle escaping her lips. Yuffie glared at Vincent, standing as tall as she could in front of him (which was not very impressive as the bobble on her hat barely reached his pointed chin). She did not retort, instead settling to throwing her nose in the air and walking past him. Tifa gave Vincent a half-amused, half-scolding look and turned to follow the young ninja back to where the others were congregating.

"We need to pick up some rations, rope probably wouldn't hurt either," Cloud was saying as they approached.

Red gestured back over his shoulder, "I overheard a couple talking about an old man who has a map of the glacier. Perhaps it would behoove us to take a look."

Cid pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket, "Let me make a copy of it, I think I gotta notepad in here somewhere." He rifled through his pants pockets and patted down the front of his jacket absentmindedly.

Nodding, Cloud agreed to follow the feline to the small, ramshackle house towards the edge of town. The owner, it turned out, was an old fellow who used to climb the glacier with a partner and that the map was the fruit of their hard labor and toil. "I won't ask why you decided to brave the Gaea Cliff, but you'd best be prepared. Come inside and sit by the fire," he offered kindly, though he still regarded them with some lingering suspicion. He limped over to where an aged piece of parchment hung on the wall in his living room. Carefully, he removed the frame from the wall and passed it to Cid, whose pen and paper were finally ready. The old man, Antonio, left them by alone while he went back to the cup of tea he'd previously been nursing in the kitchen.

Cid went to work, scribbling and scrawling the much larger map onto his tiny sheet of paper. Quickly losing interest, Yuffie looked detachedly at the books on the shelf next to the battered television set. Many old classics were present and even some old collections of Wutaian myths stood dusty and moldy on the bowed shelves. She squatted to pull out a particularly battered copy on one of the lower shelves when her eyes flickered across something that made her gasp loudly.

They others gasped in answer, startled and expecting, it seemed, Sephiroth to materialize in this old man's home. "What's your problem?" Tifa hissed, looking shaken and annoyed.

Yuffie fumbled with the object in her shaking hands and, gaping stupidly, held it out for her to see. Tifa's long fingers snatched the rattling old VHS tape out of her hands. When her dark eyes flitted across the label smeared across the side, however, they widened in bewilderment. "Oh god, Cloud! Look at this!" She thrust it at him urgently and he took it wordlessly, flipping instantly to the words on the peeling label.

His jaw dropped open and the remaining members crowded around to get a better look. There, as plain as day, read the words: "Aeris: 10 Days Old".

Tifa wrenched the tape away from Cloud and shakily walked to where the television sat in the corner, fumbling to stick the cassette into the VCR. She turned the television on and rammed the play button. For a heart-pounding minute there was only static and fuzz, but then a woman's voice called questioningly out of the white noise. "Honey, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I wanted to get this on tape, but I can't get the camera to work right," answered a man, sounding slightly distracted.

"What now? Was there something you forgot to ask me?"

"No, no, I just wanted to catch our beautiful daughter on camera," he assured her, his voice soft and comforting. "When she's asleep she looks like an angel!"

"You can tape her later!" the woman admonished, though she sounded as though she might be smiling. "We still haven't decided on a name for her yet; you didn't like _any_ of my ideas."

"It has to be Aeris," the man answered with confidence. "It just has to be."

The woman laughed and a baby cooed. "You are so selfish, but Aeris is a good name," she agreed.

Silence followed. Tifa moved to turn of the VCR with a shaking hand but Yuffie plunked a whole stack of old tapes down on the ground next to her. So, wordlessly, she ejected the first and stuck in the tape from the top of the pile. "Original Crisis," she whispered absently, reading from the label.

Images appeared on the blurry screen along with the faded dialog this time. A woman in a magenta dress, very pregnant, sat comfortably in a chair. Her hair was long and tied back in a loose ponytail with a red ribbon; it cascaded over her fine shoulders like water. It had to have been Aeris' mother. At first glance they did not look much alike, but after a few seconds' study the similarities seemed to scream at them. Their noses, button-like and round, were identical as were the shape of their eyes- though the woman's seemed to be a grayish blue instead of Aeris' rich green.

A man's voice off screen grunted slightly as the camera tipped a little. "Okay Ifalna, please tell us about the Cetra and the Calamity from the Skies."

Ifalna nodded slightly, a flush creeping up her cheeks. "The story starts two-thousand years ago. The Cetra living at the Knowlespole were the first to hear the cries of the Planet and went to sooth its suffering.

"Could you please tell us what the Knowlespole refers to?" the man asked politely.

"It refers to this area, the northern end of the Planet. The Cetra in this region started Planet-reading and knew that something terrible had happened," she answered, growing uncomfortable in front of the camera's lens.

"What is Planet-reading?" the man questioned, keeping his voice calm and friendly.

"Oh, it's like-" she trailed off, searching for the words. "It's hard to explain, but it would be like if you were have a conversation with the Planet. It told the people who could listen that something from the sky had wounded the Planet very badly. Thousands of Cetra made pilgrimage to the wound to try and heal it, but because it was such a deep wound it took many, many years to heal effectively."

"And do the Cetra posses powers that can heal the Planet?"

"No, the Cetra's powers do not give us the ability to heal. Rather, the Cetra's powers allow us to cultivate the Planet's energy to heal. We can hear the Planet and are able to tap directly into the Planet's energy, or Lifestream. That is why Cetra can use magic without materia. We must work very hard to maintain this Planet's Lifestream, use too much and the Planet will die."

"So basically the Cetra are able to use Lifestream without materia, natural or otherwise, and produce magic? Into magic to help the Planet heal faster?"

"Sort of, yes. The Cetra and the Planet used so much energy to heal the wound that the land up here withered," said the woman. She paused for a long moment and looked nervous. "The Planet told the Cetra to leave, that the danger had not passed, but they stayed to fulfill their duty to the Planet. It was very sad and difficult for the Cetra." She squeezed her eyes shut as though it pained her to speak.

"Let's take a break for today, Ifalna, you don't look well," the man coaxed soothingly, his voice was tinged with slight anxiety.

Ifalna shook her head slowly, maintaining a look of determination that forcibly reminded them of Aeris. "No, Professor, I'm okay." She took a steadying breath and continued on, "When the Cetra, heeding the Planet, finally made to depart the land they loved it appeared. It looked like our dead mothers and our dead brothers. It had the face of spectres… from the past."

"Who was there?"

"The thing that fell from the sky. The Calamity from the Skies is what we call it. She approached the Cetra as a friend and deceived them. It released a virus that attacked the Cetra of the Knowlespole and decimated them. The people infected went mad and slowly began to turn into monsters; beasts with sentient magical abilities. The Calamity left for other corners of the Planet and, just like the Knowlespole, she began to infect other clans." She drew a shuddering breath and held a hand to her pale cheek for a moment.

"Ifalna," said the voice behind the camera, "you really don't look well. We'll call it a day here."

She nodded faintly and the picture fuzzed out. Avalanche sat in silence, jaws slack and minds racing. Yuffie silently poked Tifa hard in the shoulder with the third tape. "Ouch!" Tifa exclaimed, after a few absent-minded minutes of being prodded with the cassette. She took it from her younger companion and swapped it for the one in the VCR.

The television flickered for a long moment before Ifalna, sitting in the same chair, appeared before their eyes. She looked, if it was possible, even more pregnant than in the last video, her belly swollen to a gigantic size. "Okay, Ifalna," the same man's voice called gently, "today I would like you to tell me about Weapon."

"Yes, professor," she agreed. "Once again this relates to the Calamity from the Skies. That thing Professor Hojo found was not Cetra, like he theorized. We call it Jenova. This thing was such a threat that the Planet knew that it must do everything in its power to destroy Jenova so it created the Weapon. As long as Jenova existed, the Planet would never be able to fully heal."

"So the weapon was developed through the Planet's own will?"

"Yes," Ifalna said, "but the Weapon was never used. A small number of surviving Cetra were able to defeat Jenova and seal her within a mountain near the Knowlespole. Because of this, Weapon ended up being unnecessary."

The man's hand fumbled into frame for a moment. "Then Weapon no longer exists on this Planet?"

Ifalna shook her head slowly, thinking deeply. "Weapon cannot vanish. It remains to this day, sleeping somewhere, waiting for the Planet's call to battle. Even if Jenova has been sealed away for two-thousand years, I still feel like it could awaken at any time. The Planet is afraid and watching the situation carefully."

"Thank you Ifalna, that will be enough for today."

The picture faded to black and the sound cut. They had watched transfixed, silent, and unbelieving. Aeris' parents had lived in this town, Aeris had been born here. It was enough to make anyone's head reel. Jenova had fallen from the sky and killed off the Cetra, and she had done it looking like other people… spectres of the past…

"This is the last one," Yuffie said softly, handing the final, unlabeled tape to Tifa.

Video and sound greeted them. An infant lay fussing in a white crib, swaddled in pink and white blankets. The camera zoomed clumsily in and then back out to focus. This time, Ifalna's voice called from behind the lens. "You don't have that thing out again, do you?"

"Of course!" replied the man, sounding much closer than usual. "I wanted to capture our daughter; she's so quiet for a change."

"You and your stupid camera," muttered Ifalna.

The camera swirled around to see Ifalna preparing formula for the baby; she smiled slightly and moved back towards the crib. "Don't you want to capture her whole childhood? We can watch it when we're old and gray," he chuckled.

Ifalna waggled a finger at him, "If you keep doting on her like that she won't grow up to be strong. She will need to be, too."

The man's voice was suddenly sharp, "Don't talk like that, sweetheart. Aeris may not be the same as the other children, but I will always protect her. And you." The camera was put down on the table as a thin man with tortoise shell glasses walked forward to hug his companion.

Ifalna wiped an errant tear from her face. "I'm sorry, I was just worried…"

Three loud bangs from the door startled the lovers out of their embrace. The man gave her shoulders a reassuring stroke. "I'll send them away, don't fret now." He walked out of frame and the door could be heard creaking open. "Yes- I'm… what the blazes!?" Ifalna was on her feet in an instant, clutching the infant Aeris to her chest tightly. Sounds of a scuffle were coming from beyond the frame and accompanying grunts were getting louder.

Something hit the camera and it fell over, tilting the room sideways as the viewers sat horror-struck. The view looked across the floor, and Ifalna's bare feet could be seen in the corner of the frame, blurry and out of focus. "Get away from my wife, Hojo!" the man barked, black oxford shoes ran in front of Ifalna and the child, blocking her feet from view.

"Long time no see, Ancient. Oh and look! They've been breeding!" Hojo's cackle echoed out of the television as though he stood before them. The hair on their necks stood on end. "It took quite a bit of research to find you hiding here, Professor Gast. But two years is a small price to pay for a half-breed sample, she will be exceedingly valuable to our research."

Ifalna burst into anguished sobs on the spot and the poor baby, startled by all the racket, began to wail. "You can't possibly mean to experiment on… she's my daughter, damn it, not some lab rat!" Gast bellowed, fear, panic, and rage rising in his voice. "I abandoned the ShinRa to get away from this insanity-" The mother rushed past, pushing Aeris into her father's shaking arms.

"Hojo, please, it's me you want, not them," she pleaded. "Take me and let them be."

Hojo giggled madly, "Ifalna how can you be so naïve! All of you will be important to my research. You understand, Gast, don't you? We could change the course of the world."

Gast's black oxfords suddenly rushed forward, passing Aeris back to Ifalna. There were loud grunts and more scuffling, punctuated by the mother's panicked shouts and shrieks. "Don't struggle, Gast!" Two… three… four gunshots burst in the room. Ifalna was screaming at the top of her voice and her bare feet rushed through the frame. Hojo's mad laughter rang out once again and the scream dissolved mostly into wracking sobs echoed by the baby. "Come now, Ifalna, before I am forced to harm someone else." A few seconds of relative calm followed, broken by anguished moans and the cries of a terrified baby. There was a sudden grunt and a scream of pain. "Stand up, you stubborn bitch, or I'll drown your half-breed baby!" Loud rustling and a number of bangs and crashes echoed through the room. The door opened and banged shut again, muffling the sobs of both mother and daughter.

Cloud reached over where Tifa sat and turned the television off. He looked paler than usual and his jaw was tightly clenched. "It doesn't change anything," Cid ventured from the back after a few long seconds. "Let's just keep moving towards Sephiroth, we can't let something like this freak us out."

Cloud nodded reluctantly. "You're right. Let's move."

Tifa swiped a tear off her cheek as she followed the others. Her anguish over her friend's death, while in no way diminished, seemed raw and tender now, like a tearing a scab off a barely-healed cut. She exchanged a silent look with Barret and, together, they followed Cloud out of the dim living room. They thanked Antonio for his hospitality and left his warm house and the small stack of cassettes behind them as they pressed out into the cold to find a last meal before the trek. They ordered fast food from one of the many shops and ate while walking, to the outskirts of town. There were many rolling white foothills to cross before they made it to the misty mountains that seemed to guard the northernmost edge of the landmass. Even from a distance, the mountains looked rough and craggy.

Silence, once again, consumed them as they fought their way through knee-deep snow. The hours marched on slowly and the snow was tinged peachy with the rays of evening sun before they had reached the foothills or the glacier. Yuffie felt confused and conflicted as she watched her comrades trudge forward, heads bent against the bitterly cold wind. She could not believe Aeris was dead, it didn't seem real. She struggled mightily to maintain a stoic front, thinking that the appearance of bravery and maturity would somehow transfer inward. She had hoped, rather feebly, that a few days would be enough for her shock and grief to settle down a bit, but they seemed to well with even greater strength. She couldn't stand it and the images of Aeris' murder bombarded her brain. Tears welled in her eyes but she refused to let them fall; she reminded herself that she was too strong for tears. But she had never looked death in the face before, nor had she ever touched a corpse or had to sing at a funeral. She was only sixteen and today she felt like the child she still was.

"Yo pretty quiet," Barret noted from just in front of her.

His deep voice startled Yuffie out of her own thoughts. Barret had a habit of noticing when people were too quiet, though it could have been his own discomfort with the lack of talk. "Oh, yeah. Just thinkin' really," she replied after a moment.

He nodded, "Me too. Thinkin' 'bout my daughter." When Yuffie did not reply, he continued without being asked. "She turned four a couple months ago. When we left Midgar we left her wit' Aeris' mom."

Yuffie blanched slightly. She had never thought about Aeris' family. Her mother would have no idea that she was dead. Tears welled up again. It was nothing short of tragic. She imagined Ifalna sitting quietly at home, wondering what could have happened to her daughter, not knowing she had been murdered three days ago.

"I decided last night that I was gonna be the one to tell her, you know, that Aeris was…"

"Why?" she asked, aghast, before she could stop herself.

Barret shrugged slightly and made a noncommittal grunt. "Cause I was the one that saddled her wit' Marlene. I know that I can't make it any better but someone's gotta do it and I owe it to her."

Yuffie's thoughts swirled irreverently leaving her with her own uncomfortable feelings. "You're a good guy, Barret." He shrugged again, looking skeptical at her compliment. "Ifalna…"

Barret shook his head. "Ifalna's been dead for about fifteen years," he corrected, realizing that Yuffie had not known Aeris' familial situation. "A lady named Elmyra adopted her when she was a kid. They escaped Hojo, but Ifalna only lived long enough to make sure Aeris was safe. I never realized what it all meant till today."

"I never knew what a bastard Hojo was. He seems to keep cropping up in our problems, what else could that weirdo have accomplished in his life, I wonder," she asked, shuddering at the thought.

"I don't wanna know," Barret affirmed.

***

The following dawn found them at the very base of the glacier. The sky was an over bright, glassy gray and falling snow was bound to greet them sometime soon. Cloud peered up the walls of sharp ice and sharper rocks, trying to discern the safest way up. He turned to the milling group behind him, performing usual head count. They watched him expectantly, waiting for his instructions. "Alright, let's get a move on. This is going to be rough so stick together; we don't want anyone to get left behind." He turned and, without another word, hefted himself up onto the first ledge of countless and began to press on.

He found that Tifa was keeping good pace with him, staying close to his side as he picked his way up the inclining cliff fragments. "I guess your experience in the Nibel Mountains won't help us here."

"Probably not," she agreed, grunting slightly as she pulled herself over a snowy rockslide. They exchanged no more words, their moods as icy and bitter as the wind that tore at their faces.

The way was fraught with danger. A thin blanket of snow clung resolutely to the iron gray cliff face, hiding streams of slippery pebbles or else the ice that coated the path in shadowy places. More than once someone had slipped slightly and flailed for handholds. What was almost worse, however, was the dizzying height they were gaining as the day wore on. It felt as though they were walking along the outside of a skyscraper, hundreds of feet in the air and gaining. Nobody bothered to look down anymore, not even Red who was easily the most sure-footed of them all.

A few hours after noon, the real challenge presented itself. Sheer walls of shimmering blue ice shot straight upward, seemingly into the sky itself. Cloud had bought some rope in Icicle Inn, but he had not bought anything else that would assist their assault on the solid wall. Without any deliberation Cloud had them tying themselves in a line. "Red, you in front. You'll be the one to find the way up." He pointed out other members in order, trying to line them up in the safest way possible. "Then me, Tifa, Cid, Barret, Yuffie you go behind him so you can help him, and Vincent bring up the end."

They obediently tied the long length of rope around each of their waists in turn, double- and triple-checking their knots. At Cloud's signal Red began to pick his way carefully along fractures, cracks, and crags in the otherwise smooth surface of the ice. It was painfully slow going. Red did his part to locate and reach safe ledges, but had to wait for the others to catch up beneath him. Barret was particularly cumbersome on only one hand and was slowing Yuffie up considerably by requiring her constant assistance. Cid was growing fidgety and irritable as he dared not waste any concentration on smoking, sighing heavily every time they were held up due to Barret's slow movement.

They had just climbed around a slippery overhang when an inhuman shriek echoed off the ice suddenly, startling them all. Cid swore, looking angrily over his shoulder. His face paled, "Oh shit…"

Cloud, alarmed, followed his gaze and repeated the expletive. A dragon, huge and scaly, was dropping out of the sky towards them like an angry bullet. It screamed in fury again. "Shit!" Cloud bellowed, his eyes wide with panic. "Shit! Shit! What the hell do we do?"

The beast sent a fire ball exploding into the ice a few yards from them, steam billowing skyward. They all screamed in a panic and covered their faces. Tifa, Cloud, and Red all fired separate spells at it but bounced harmlessly off its thick leathery hide as it drew ever closer. "Oh fuck!" Cloud roared as another blast of flames whipped over their heads, much too close for comfort.

"I shall deal with it," Vincent stated calmly, as he watched the dragon draw closer to where they sat. He reached out with the golden monstrosity and slashed at the rope holding him to Yuffie, severing it and leaving claw marks in the ice. With agility that surprised them all he leapt lightly from ledge to ledge until he was many yards away. The dragon tipped slightly in its descent, altering its course to single out Vincent.

"Get out of the way!" Yuffie shrieked and watched as the huge reptile sunk to attack.

Vincent doubled over and with a howl of rage that morphed into a terrifying roar for blood, transformed into the demon they had seen in the materia grotto in Nibelheim. Black wings burst out of his back, his ears elongated, and his skin grew as dark as night. He shot into the air as his huge webbed wings unfurled and charged the surprised dragon. They clashed with the force of a thunderclap, claws and fangs tearing viciously at each other with feral and unrestrained rage. They broke apart and charged again, bursts of magic echoing like cannon blasts and the continued screams of pain and fury. Avalanche clung to the wall in a stupor, unable to think of anything else to do but sit there and stare.

The demon plunged a clawed hand deep into the dragon's right eye socket and was rewarded with a spurt of dark blood and an earsplitting roar of pain. The dragon, instincts of self-preservation kicking in, rose on its own dark wings and, with a howl of agony, lumbered away through the air. The demon wheeled around in a wide arc for a few moments, savoring its victory. It swooped closely past Avalanche, eyeing them beadily while they held their breath. Beating its wings, it rose higher up the glacier and after a few long minutes disappeared over the rim.

"I guess he didn't feel like climbing," Barret grumbled after a long minute.

Cloud sighed and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "We really do have the Devil's luck. Come on." And he started to climb again, the rest doggedly following their leader.

A few hours later, they finally dragged themselves over the rim of the glacier and fell gratefully to the ground, panting and wheezing. They found Vincent, a little bloody but otherwise unharmed, wrapped in his cloak and leaning against a boulder. He looked as exhausted as they did but managed to nod at Cloud in greeting when he was discovered. "I've decided to name it Chaos," he said, in a voice that still held something of a growl.

"Now it sounds like you've just got an evil pet," Yuffie retorted, rubbing her arms for warmth.

"I think that Hojo intended for me to succumb to the demon, but I find that I am able to influence his actions. He is very strong, though, and the transformations are hard to control- if I am wounded for instance, but I think that Chaos is safe so long as his goals are close to my own," he explained, feeling a little guilty at having worried them.

Cloud reached down and offered a hand to Vincent who took it. The ex-Soldier pulled him upright and clapped him on the shoulder, sharing a brief but relieved look. Cloud waited for them to pass around the canteens and drink before he climbed over a mound of boulders to gaze at what new obstacle lay before them. Slowly and tentatively the others joined him.

They stood on the lip of an enormous crater, frost dusted and roughly hewn. At its center, miles from where they stood, a huge cloud of snow and something tinted faintly green swirled chaotically. The wind whipped at their hair and clothes as they surveyed the next leg of their journey. "This must be the impact site for that 'calamity from the skies'," Red mentioned, sniffing dubiously at the wind. "I am also certain that this is the site of the Promised Land, you can smell the mako in the air."

"It is the Promised Land," Cloud growled softly, "because the Planet has to gather all of its energy here to heal the wound. Let's not waste any more time, come on." With near feline grace he jumped off the rocks and started down the long sloping walk that would lead to the heart of the crater.


End file.
